《Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast》 Chapter 1: Yu Parang (1) Chapter 1: Yu Parang (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 1 ¡®I don¡¯t want to work¡­¡¯ B-rank hunter Yu Parang thought as she lay in the water. Her hair, a deep blue reminiscent of the sea, swayed freely. No matter where she looked¡ªfront, back, left, right, up, or down¡ªthere was nothing but water. Beams of light descended from the surface, forming pillars that surrounded her closely. In the endlessly stretched blue void, she was the only existence. Bubbles rose from her mouth, adding sound to the silent space. And then, silence again. A space with no sound or movement. ¡®I don¡¯t want to work¡­¡¯ Parang continued to lie still, looking at the water¡¯s surface. Below her, where the light couldn¡¯t reach, the water gradually turned a deep blue, then navy, indigo, and finally black. From now on, she had to descend into that abyss. ¡®I don¡¯t want to work¡­¡¯ After all, that was her job. She could swim down and dive directly, but that was too bothersome. She closed her eyes and lay still, waiting for her body to sink naturally. To put it bluntly, she was slacking off. Given the nature of her work environment, no one was watching her, and above all, she was self-employed. It wasn¡¯t a specific request; it was just something she did as a pastime, so it was natural for Parang to procrastinate as much as possible. Moreover, Parang quite liked floating quietly in the cozy water. Wearing a diving suit that clung to her entire body and closing her eyes, she felt the faint undulations of the water envelop her. It was a custom-made diving suit ordered from Silo Corporation. Due to her physical characteristics, it felt more like a multifunctional bodysuit than a diving suit, but if you wear it while diving, it¡¯s a diving suit. Parang decided not to delve too deeply into it. Anyway, during these dives, Parang enjoyed contemplating or sleeping. It was her small hobby. Bubbles rose again. How much time had passed? She felt a vibration from the gauge attached to her left arm. A low hum followed. She opened her eyes and looked around, noticing that it was noticeably darker than before. Earlier, it felt somewhere between sky blue and blue, but now everything around her was a deep navy. There was nothing to touch or see. No matter where she turned her head, all she could see was the void of navy blue. She could barely tell which way was up by the bubbles she exhaled. [Current Depth: 302m] ???? Next to the gauge that indicated the current depth and time, a flame-shaped icon lit up red, indicating that the heating function was activated. She had sunk 250 meters just by lying still. At 300 meters, she had descended 50 meters past the thermocline, meaning she had overslept. She should have woken up at the 250-meter mark. Parang rubbed her eyes with her hands, yawning as if she were stretching. Thanks to the heating function, the area around her eyes felt warm where her hands had touched. Stretching as if she had made up her mind, Parang suddenly began to swim downward quickly. She had procrastinated to the limit and, now bored, decided it was time to work. Downward, and further downward. [Current Depth: 701m]???? In less than a minute, Parang had dived 400 meters. An ordinary person would have been crushed by the pressure in an instant, but of course, this was irrelevant to her. She had just woken up feeling refreshed after sleeping for about four hours in the sea. Expecting her to adhere to common knowledge about water pressure was unreasonable. Anyway, at a depth of 700 meters, according to the Hunter Association¡¯s classification, this was the ¡°Monster Fish Zone,¡± where the so-called deep-sea monsters began to appear. This was Parang¡¯s workplace. ¨C Click-click. ¨C Parang pressed a few buttons on the cartridge located on her right arm. ¨C Clack. ¨C With a sound, a chip about the size of a palm popped out. ¨C Crunch-crunch. ¨C The red chip was mercilessly crushed by the water pressure as soon as it emerged. When Parang grabbed it and completely crumpled it in her hand, ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-! a heavy, dull sound, like a ship¡¯s horn, began to echo through the dark deep sea. ¡°¡­¡± Parang listened to the sound, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. The earlier drowsy expression was gone, replaced by a chillingly cold look that clearly marked her as a hunter. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-! After about five minutes, something caught Parang¡¯s eye in the navy blue surroundings. The direction was downward. A faint but distinct bright blue light. It flickered faintly but was clearly growing larger. In simple terms, something emitting a blue light was rushing toward Parang from the depths of the sea at a tremendous speed. As Parang focused on it, she noticed two smaller blue lights flanking the initial large one. ¨D¨D¨D¨D! As it approached, revealing that the large light was its mouth and the smaller ones were its eyes, Parang swam sideways at a speed twice as fast as when she dived. Her movement was so swift that it seemed impossible to believe she was underwater, resembling an aerial hunter performing acrobatics in the sky. Just after Parang swam out of the creature¡¯s path, ¨D¨D¨D¨D! something swept through the spot where she had been, as if a train had passed right in front of her. Scanning with the device attached to her diving suit, she saw it was moving at 60 km/h. While not quite the speed of a subway train, which can reach up to 110 km/h, it was still significant. And 60 km/h was quite slow by underwater standards. And in that ¡°underwater¡± realm, Parang was included. ¨C Swish. ¨C In an instant, Parang¡¯s blue eyes flashed, and her figure disappeared. In less than ten seconds, Parang caught up with the creature and began swimming alongside it at the same speed, her expression unchanged. She had essentially caught up to a subway train by swimming. As she swam, she examined the creature from its tail to its mouth, adjusting her speed like a predator sizing up its prey. Its body was almost a perfect cylinder, with little variation in thickness from head to tail. Its mouth was round and fixed in shape, with randomly protruding teeth and blue light seeping from within. It had three pairs of whiskers, four eyes on each side of its head, and, crucially, it moved at 60 km/h without any fins. Having observed all this, Parang broke into a broad smile. ¡®Big catch!!¡¯ A Bellua Maria, 40 meters long and 6 meters in diameter. A truly exceptional catch. Parang had already caught dozens of Belluas. Not just Belluas; the monsters she had captured so far were as formidable, if not more so. As soon as she confirmed that the monster in front of her was a Bellua, she immediately began her work. First, she set up the explosives. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Bellua¡¯s body was shaped like a semi-circular carapace surrounding a soft body, with a series of (O)-shaped tissues running along its length. Parang climbed onto the Bellua¡¯s back, grabbed a protruding part, and secured herself. When she opened her hand, a watermelon-sized air bubble appeared, filled with red gas. She inserted it into the gap between the carapaces. ¨D¨D¨D!!!! Realizing something was wrong with its body, the Bellua thrashed wildly, changing directions up, down, left, and right to shake Parang off. But it didn¡¯t know that every Bellua Parang had encountered had done the same and failed. ¨C Swish, swish, swish, swish. ¨C Parang moved swiftly, inserting air bubbles into every joint of the carapace from head to tail. Then, detonation. She took a stance as if to thrust a harpoon, and a long, spear-like shape of air formed around her hand. She thrust it into the same spot as before, ¨C Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ¨C A series of grand explosions ran from the tail to the head, -¡­Boom!! ¨C Finally, when the bubble at the very front of the head exploded, ¨D¨D¨D!!! The light that had been seeping from its eyes and mouth went out, and the Bellua died. ¨C Shurururur. ¨C As with all unknown creatures that emerged from the gate, the Bellua turned into light, leaving behind only what was valuable. Quickly pressing a button on her left calf, a net inflated like an airbag. Moving even faster than when she had chased the Bellua, Parang swiftly collected the magic stones and carapaces. A smile bloomed on her face like a flower, having caught a big one after a long time. It took her less than 30 seconds to reach the surface. After all, it was the way home. The faster, the better. Chapter 2: Yu Parang (2) Chapter 2: Yu Parang (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 2 Parang¡¯s house was located by the pier. Not just any pier, but built as close to the sea as building regulations allowed. This meant that if diving into the sea was considered her commute, her entire commute took less than a minute. It was the dream job. The same went for her return home. A part of the churning seawater bubbled, and with a splash, Parang¡¯s face emerged. She climbed the pier ladder with a bag twice her size, a task she was clearly accustomed to. Standing tall on the dock, Parang fixed her gaze on a person sitting far away with a fishing rod and immediately ran over, waving her hand. ¡°Ah! Elder!¡± Parang was known for her bright greetings. On her first day in the neighborhood, she was so polite that all the elders wanted to make her their daughter-in-law. Though she had to decline, given that she was actually a man inside. Now, she was almost the village¡¯s love. After all, she was the only young person in the village. The next youngest was the youth association president, who was 46 years old. With Parang being the only young girl in the village, bright and pretty, it was inevitable that the entire village became her fan club. ¡°I¡¯m not old enough to be called ¡®elder¡¯ yet¡­¡± The middle-aged man sitting in the chair grumbled, setting his fishing rod aside and greeting Parang lightly. ¡°You went in this morning and are just coming out now? I waited for hours and thought you might have drowned.¡± Parang had been diving for eight hours today, about an hour longer than usual. Since moving to the seaside, she spent at least five hours a day underwater, so both her and the elder knew she wouldn¡¯t drown. Even the Bellua she had just caught knew that. ¡°Hehe¡­ It just happened¡­¡± So, Parang just smiled, understanding it as the usual greeting. Despite his gruff tone, the elder was one of the people who cared most about her in the village. ¡°Judging by the size of the bag, it looks like you had a big catch. Go in and rest.¡± ¡°I just need to make a delivery. The association is closed from tomorrow for the weekend, so I have to hand it over today.¡± After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the elder, Parang headed home. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ah, she couldn¡¯t go to the association in her bodysuit. She had to take the subway to get there. After quickly showering and changing clothes, Parang brought a waterproof bag from the storage and transferred the Bellua¡¯s byproducts into it. She slung the bag over her back, and it was still twice her size. With her heart as full as the bag, Parang left the house with a spring in her step. ¨C Ding-dong-?? ¨C ¡¶Next stop, Hunter Association. Hunter Association Station. The doors on your right will open. This stop is¡­¡· Parang¡¯s steps remained light and cheerful. The bag she carried in front of her swayed as if dancing to her rhythm. Passersby glanced at her bag once, her unique hair color twice, and her dazzling beauty thrice. Given her profession, she often appeared this way, making her a minor celebrity in the area. She was already known on online communities as the ¡®Pohang Bag Girl¡¯. Anyway, with her still cheerful steps, she entered the Pohang branch of the Hunter Association. It was nearing the end of the workday, so the staff¡¯s eyes were slightly sharp as they watched Parang stride in confidently. But what could they do? They knew well how much the contents of that bag were worth. If they refused to accept it out of inconvenience, they couldn¡¯t predict what kind of reprimand they might receive from above. Especially the expressions of the purchasing department staff, who had to receive, store, and report the items, were quite a sight. ¡°Hmm~ hmm~¡± Ignoring all that, Parang hummed a tune as she headed straight to the purchasing counter. Having been there more than a few times, she immediately took out her hunter license and placed it on the authentication device. It might seem rude at first glance, but it was actually a highly efficient time-saving move. To be honest, Parang was also mindful of the staff¡¯s feelings. The staff, seemingly understanding her intent, didn¡¯t say much. ¡¶B-rank Hunter, Yu Parang. Verified.¡· ¨C Ding-dong?? ¨C Parang didn¡¯t particularly like this electronic sound. It was too tacky for her taste. In fact, she detested it so much that she had inquired about changing it at the Hunter Association headquarters a few years ago. Due to various internal issues, it didn¡¯t happen. ¨C Thud- thud- thud ¨C Parang took out the items from her bag and placed them on the counter. Two 1-meter-long teeth, three 50-centimeter-long teeth, one soccer ball-sized magic stone, and one partially shattered carapace. It was unfortunate that she couldn¡¯t retrieve the carapace, which was the second most valuable item after the magic stone, due to the explosive method she used to kill the creature. However, given the size of the creature and the generous drop of teeth, she wasn¡¯t too disappointed. ¡°¡­Five teeth, one carapace, and one magic stone confirmed.¡± The staff, who had been staring at the items, looked at Parang with a pleading expression. ¡°By any chance¡­ what¡¯s the name of the monster?¡± ¡°¡­Bellua Maria.¡± The staff¡¯s eyes grew even more desperate. ¡°And, what classification does it fall under?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a monster fish. Serpent type.¡± All the staff at the purchasing counter turned icy cold. It wasn¡¯t because Bellua was a trivial monster. On the contrary, Bellua held a status similar to that of a wyvern in terms of hunting difficulty and the quality of its byproducts. When a wyvern was submitted at the counter, it usually caused quite a stir. However, the reason the staff¡¯s eyes turned cold in front of a B-rank hunter who had single-handedly captured such a monster was that Bellua was a monster fish, the most niche of niche categories. Underwater hunters like Parang were already extremely rare. Among those, hunters who could dive to a depth of 700 meters to catch monster fish were even rarer. This meant that Bellua was a creature that a Hunter Association staff member might encounter once in their lifetime, if at all. And the rarity implied that the staff were likely unfamiliar with the related regulations. For example, there¡¯s a well-known regulation regarding orcs, ¡®Ears must be ground and stored¡¯. It¡¯s a peculiar rule but famous for that reason. It¡¯s a staple question in the association¡¯s entrance exams, and there¡¯s not a single staff member worldwide who doesn¡¯t know it. So, orc byproducts pose no issue for the counter staff. But Bellua? If improperly stored and managed, it could mean saying goodbye to their job. Thus, they had to search for the ¡®regulation book¡¯, whether it was in a drawer under the desk, a corner of the break room, or under the pot they used to cook ramen earlier, and find the proper handling methods for Bellua¡¯s byproducts, reading each step carefully. And now, it was just before quitting time. It wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if the counter staff had thrown salt at Parang. Parang knew this too. She saw this reaction every time she came to the association. So, she whispered to the staff. ¡°Instead of looking for the regulation book, if Manager Choi is here, you might want to ask him. He probably knows.¡± The staff¡¯s expression relaxed immediately, and they hurried inside. Soon, Manager Choi appeared in front of Parang, looking tired. ¡°It¡¯s you again¡­¡± With a single phrase loaded with meaning, Parang gave a sheepish smile. ¡°Ah, ahaha¡­¡± ¡°So, what is it this time? ¡°It¡¯s a Bellua. Forty meters long and six meters in diameter.¡± ¡°Forty, you say? No wonder you rushed to the association at this hour.¡± Manager Choi, having known Parang for years, had become quite knowledgeable about monster fish. A slightly larger Bellua would be a piece of cake for him. Feeling a bit less guilty, Parang thought it was convenient to have someone she knew well handle this. ¡°Got it. You can go now. The payment should be in by Monday.¡± Without hesitation, Parang turned to leave, but then, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Manager Choi called her back. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any plans to take the A-rank exam?¡± ¡°No. Not at all.¡± ¡°Really? Not even a bit?¡± ¡°Oh, come on, you know me.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Alright. Go on, then.¡± ¨C Clunk-clunk ¨C With an empty waterproof bag slung over her back, Parang boarded the subway, lost in thought. ¡®A-rank, huh¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Parang lacked the ambition to rise higher. Having been reincarnated into a hunter world, she definitely had the desire to earn the S-rank hunter badge. Unlike other hunter worlds where higher ranks only meant more work and little benefit, in this world, a higher rank truly made a difference. Fewer but astronomically high-paying requests, substantial support from guilds and the association, and social prestige were all part of the package. However, despite being able to easily take down a Bellua, Parang was still a B-rank hunter, far from S-rank. It¡¯s ironic considering that hunters who could easily take down a wyvern were immediately classified as S-rank. There were two reasons for this, both stemming from the same fundamental issue. There were simply too few underwater hunters like Parang. How few? In South Korea, surrounded by the sea on three sides, there were only twenty underwater hunters. Not twenty S-rank hunters, but twenty in total, from F-rank to S-rank. There weren¡¯t even any S-rank underwater hunters, and only two were A-rank. Considering South Korea¡¯s hunter population of two million and around a hundred S-rank hunters, the number was absurdly low. As a result, underwater combat abilities weren¡¯t even considered in the A-rank promotion exams. So, on land, Parang was just someone with a bit of strength and the ability to create spears out of air. The A-rank promotion exam was a significant hurdle for her. Even if she were to surpass A-rank and become S-rank, it would still be problematic. For a typical hunter, the majority of their income comes from commissions. These are essentially requests from civilians to hunt monsters or provide protection in exchange for money. The vast majority of these are extermination requests. However, for an underwater hunter like Parang, extermination requests simply don¡¯t come in. It¡¯s only natural; who would request the extermination of a monster living 700 meters underwater when there¡¯s an orc settlement right in front of their apartment complex? Even without the orc settlements, such requests would never be made. The civilian diving record is 314 meters, and the recommended depth for scuba diving is around 50 to 100 meters. At 700 meters underwater, it¡¯s literally the depth where submarines navigate. Unfortunately for Parang, submarines opted to roam at 500 meters depth rather than issue extermination requests every time they sailed. Thus, underwater hunters worldwide, including in South Korea, either engaged in fishing or, like Parang, hunted monster fish to earn money. Of course, the value of monster fish wasn¡¯t disregarded. The items Parang had just delivered would easily surpass the half-year income of an A-rank hunter. It was an extreme seasonal business. But Parang caught a monster fish at least once a week, simply because she could. Her income placed her in the top 1% in South Korea. Her expenses were high, though. The diving suit she wore today alone cost her five years¡¯ worth of savings. In conclusion, hunter ranks were meaningless for underwater hunters. Despite this, Parang had no complaints about her lifestyle. In fact, she loved her current life. She loved that she could spend 24 hours underwater if she wanted to. She was truly passionate about the sea. Her eccentricities stemming from her boundless love for the ocean were numerous. Firstly, upon realizing she had been reincarnated into the world of the novel she was reading, she immediately began preparing to become an underwater hunter. ¡®This is the world of the novel? Are there hunters who work underwater?¡¯ Secondly, she used the S-rank skill selection privilege she received upon reincarnation without hesitation to choose the most powerful underwater skill. ¡®I choose the trait, .¡¯ Incidentally, transforms the body into a female upon acquisition, true to its name. Parang had no hesitation about this. ¡®If I can stay underwater for 24 hours, does gender even matter?¡¯ After becoming a woman, Parang tested her ability to endure underwater for 24 hours in a bathtub. She sold all her possessions and moved to her current home. Parang still considered this series of decisions as ¡°the best thing she ever did in her life.¡± ¡¶Next stop, Wolpo. Wolpo Station. The doors on your right will open¡­¡· Parang snapped out of her thoughts and got off the subway. Wolpo wasn¡¯t her home. In fact, it was quite far in terms of distance. Despite this, she always got off at Wolpo and made her way home from there. Wolpo Station was very close to the sea. ¨C Splash ¨C That¡¯s right. Parang got off at Wolpo Station and swam home. She couldn¡¯t walk around the city in clothes that had been in the water, so she came to the station normally but had no such restrictions when heading home. Parang reached her house in less than ten minutes. ¡°Nyaaah-!!¡± With a strange sound, Parang flopped onto the sofa. She turned on the news and grabbed a can of beer. Even though Parang had little interest in anything other than the sea, she decided to watch the news today. Because today, June 11, 2024¡­ was the day the world she had reincarnated into, , was coming to an end. Chapter 3: The Era of Deep Diving Chapter 3: The Era of Deep DivingDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 3 Parang was a reincarnator. After seeing the ending of her favorite novel and reading the author¡¯s postscript, she went to bed and woke up to find herself in the world of the novel. It was a very classic reincarnation scenario. However, as we all know, just because one reincarnates in a classic manner doesn¡¯t mean their life will be straightforward. At the age of 15, when she regained her past life¡¯s memories, she took some time to carefully recall the original story she had read. And she thought to herself, ¡®As long as I don¡¯t get involved with the protagonist!¡¯ The hunter novel she had read was very standard. Every plot, every event followed clich¨¦s to the letter, the epitome of a classic storyline. The endings of episodes were predictable from the moment they began. Yet, it was popular because the author was exceptionally skilled at writing action scenes. While it wasn¡¯t a ¡®masterpiece that turned the genre novel world upside down¡¯, it was perfect for killing time. And as is typical with classic hunter novels, the enemies the protagonist and their party faced became increasingly unimaginable. Throughout, they never ventured underwater (Parang¡¯s only complaint about the novel). So, what would happen if Parang clumsily joined the protagonist¡¯s party? Instant death. Early elimination guaranteed. Rather than diving into that madness, choosing a life in the sea, her lifelong dream, was the obvious choice for Parang. And luckily for Parang, the Earth remained relatively peaceful until the ending. The so-called ¡°fields¡± only transformed places like the Sahara Desert, parts of northern Africa, and southern South America. Thanks to the protagonist forming a harem with hunters from around the world, most countries were well-defended. Thus, as long as Parang stayed hidden somewhere in South Korea, she wouldn¡¯t get swept up in the original events and die. Moreover, Parang was reincarnated as an orphan, making it even easier to live as she pleased. Nothing could stop her. Whether the status window knew this or not, it gave her an S-rank skill selection privilege, as if encouraging her to do something¡­ ¡°Who cares about gender if I can stay underwater for 24 hours?¡± Oh dear. What a pity. And time flew by, and lo and behold, it was June 11th! The day the original novel reached its ending. ¨C Crack! Hiss- Fizz¡­ ¨C Parang opened a can of beer, placed it on the side table next to the sofa, and turned on her phone to watch TTube. The top recommended video was a LIVE broadcast. [Silo Exclusive Coverage ¨C Slayers Ascension Ceremony LIVE] Unbelievable. The original story ended with the protagonist, Hunter Han Siwoo, and his entire harem ascending to become gods. Parang felt a strange sensation as she watched. The feelings she had towards the protagonist and his party were akin to those one might have towards Queen Elizabeth¡ªutter indifference. In the beginning, she had anxiously scoured internet communities, worried that the original plot might deviate. But after a year, she stopped caring altogether. Still, she decided to watch the ending live, just to see it with her own eyes. There were things she needed to confirm. For some reason, they stood in the middle of an endless ocean, with no land in sight. The only thing around was a broadcast helicopter dispatched by Silo. Parang knew why. As described in the novel, a pillar of light burst from the sky above them, and halos of light emanated from the bodies of the Slayers, lifting them into the sky. As they ascended, the protagonist¡¯s body began to crack and split. The broadcast quality and cinematography were top-notch, likely due to extensive preparation by Silo. Soon, the heroines¡¯ bodies also began to crack and split. This was the process of shedding their human forms and acquiring divine bodies. Artifacts, skill scrolls, and various belongings of the 15 members of the protagonist¡¯s party fell into the ocean with splashes. This was why they chose to ascend in the middle of the ocean, to prevent the artifacts, each crafted by the protagonist and at the level of divine quality, from spreading into the world. Finally, as the last heroine ascended above the clouds and the sky closed, it was over. The end. Parang sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead, and turned off her phone. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts. At times like this, she turned to her hobbies. Surprisingly, besides fishing, diving, and sleeping underwater, Parang had another hobby: drawing. In her previous life, she had been an artist. She wasn¡¯t a diver simply due to circumstances. Parang sprang up from the sofa and moved to her studio. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¨C Whirr- Slide. ¨C The door to the studio opposite her bedroom opened with a futuristic mechanical sound. In line with her tastes, Parang¡¯s home had a futuristic interior with a white base and blue neon accents. The interior and exterior of her house, with its futuristic design and blue neon accents, made for a stunning view when photographed by the sea. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As she entered her studio, numerous paintings she had created were displayed in a row. Naturally, the subjects were water, the sea, fish, and monster fish. From simple fish to entirely blue paintings, and even monsters that seemed impossible to exist on Earth, her artworks varied widely. Parang sat in front of an easel in the middle of the room and picked up her brush. She intended to finish the painting she had been working on. The subject was a Galecus, a monster fish that evolved from the ribbonfish due to the influence of an underwater gate. The original ribbonfish was known for swimming vertically, making it nearly impossible to discern its direction in the water. Following it could easily lead one into the inescapable depths of the ocean. Galecus hunted by wrapping its body in dazzling, colorful lights to attract small fish or monster fish, dragging them down to its lair. Its beauty made it one of Parang¡¯s favorite subjects to paint. For a while, the only sound in the gallery was the soft swishing of her brush. After some time, Parang put down her brush with a decisive thud. It was already 4 AM. She had spent six hours painting. She felt sleepy, not because her body wasn¡¯t superhuman, but because she had taken a nap underwater earlier. This was almost a daily occurrence for Parang, whose lifestyle was completely out of sync. If possible, she would prefer to sleep underwater at night, but the night sea was far more dangerous than the daytime sea. While she could enter it, sleeping there was a different matter. With a futuristic mechanical sound, the door to her bedroom opposite the gallery opened. As expected, there was no bed. Instead, a bed-shaped tank with a blanket and pillow inside was embedded in the floor. What about the cleanliness of sleeping in the same water every day? Surprisingly, one of Parang¡¯s skills included the ability to ¡°purify the space within a 5-meter radius while underwater.¡± About half a year ago, she had used this skill once to build her record in a ground dungeon for her B-rank hunter promotion exam. She had entered an undead dungeon while inside a portable tank with her party members, a stunt so outrageous that it had set the internet ablaze. Even now, searching for ¡°Gyeongju Dead Man¡¯s Cave¡± would bring up ¡°Gyeongju Dead Man¡¯s Cave Fish Tank Girl¡± as the top related search term. Aside from the tank bed, notable features in her bedroom included a dark blue mood light and 24-hour playback of night sea ASMR. She was truly obsessed with the sea. Anyway, Parang had a good night¡¯s sleep and woke up the next day at noon. She repeated her daily routine: catching some fish to grill and eat, and taking a blissful nap underwater. She expected it would take some time for the aftermath to hit. And a week later, T-tube. News. Community. Parang opened the community and read a few posts with eye-catching titles. Just curious. I¡¯m an A-rank body enhancement hunter, and seeing everyone else treasure hunting in the sea is making me jealous. Tried it in the bathtub today, and I can hold my breath for 30 minutes. ©¤ Holding your breath for 30 minutes underwater, are you even human? ©¤ It depends on the region. It¡¯s tough in the East Sea but totally doable in the West Sea. ? I¡¯m from Ulsan. (A gif of a stone being dropped into the deep blue sea, endlessly falling until it becomes blurry and eventually disappears.) You want to go treasure hunting in a place like this? No matter how good the artifacts are, are you sane? I¡¯d rather live on solid, reliable ground. ©¤??: I really want to go in there. You can make what you earn in a month on land by finding just one artifact underwater. ?: Screw that, I¡¯d rather work for a month than go in there. ©¤ Chicken? ?: Yeah, I¡¯m chicken. How do you even get in there? ©¤ The picture looks intense, but most people dive in the West Sea, so you don¡¯t see scenes like that often. The maximum depth is around 50 meters, which most body-enhancement hunters can handle without gear. ?: Really? How deep do you have to go to see something like in the gif? ?: Assuming the water is super clear, about 100 meters? ©¤ Do you even have the ability to dive that deep? ©¤ I was going to try diving, but the picture scared me off. It¡¯s terrifying. (A picture of a latex suit used for a specific type of play, with zippers all over for easy use.) You piece of crap, I asked for a diving suit, and you give me this ridiculous latex thing? Are you so desperate for attention? I¡¯m coming to find you, you bastard. ©¤ LOL LOL LOL LOL ©¤ What an idiot LOL LOL LOL ©¤ How could you fall for that LOL LOL LOL ©¤ Why did the seller even have that? ©¤ Perfect intelligence for the Hunter Gallery LOL LOL LOL ©¤ Is it for women? ?: Yeah, damn it. ?: Oh, 100,000 won. ?: What do you mean 100,000 won, you crazy idiot? ?: Who is this guy LOL LOL LOL The world had entered the era of deep diving. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if people around the world suddenly went mad and dove into the sea to find artifacts buried who-knows-where. In reality, 99% of the people who saw the ascension scene on the news thought, ¡°What a waste¡­ those precious artifacts¡­¡± and left it at that. However, history has shown that it only takes 1% of crazies to change the world. The beginning was an internet broadcaster and hunter living in Incheon. He was a B-rank body-enhancement hunter who saw the news and came up with content like ¡°Find the Artifact Buried in the Deep Sea! First Live Dive in Korea.¡± He hadn¡¯t seriously intended to find an artifact; he just wanted to stir up some attention. After searching, he found that the waters off the coast of Incheon, where he lived, were shallow and didn¡¯t seem dangerous. So, with the intention of causing a bit of a stir, he started his broadcast¡­ ¡°Huh, huh? What¡¯s this?¡± He found a B-rank artifact, not one dropped by the Slayers, but something that seemed to have been submerged when an old merchant ship sank long ago. This discovery made headlines and spread like wildfire, prompting people worldwide to dive with the hope of finding something similar. ¡°There is something!! It¡¯s real!!¡± ¡°Holy, is that real?¡± ¡°Eso que estoy mirando ahora es una caja, ?verdad?¡± And indeed, some of them found treasures that had been sleeping underwater, ushering in the era of great diving. Even if they weren¡¯t legendary artifacts, the ocean was a source of wealth. People realized this. The seabed was no longer an empty void with no value. It had become a space of unparalleled opportunity, a center of untold riches and unknown treasures. A true blue ocean. Parang¡¯s concerns grew alongside this. She knew. The deep sea didn¡¯t just hold treasures. It was teeming with unimaginable horrors that should never be encountered by ordinary humans. ¨C Bubbling ¨C In the depths of the ocean, she quietly closed her eyes. Chapter 4: Shin Yuna (1) Chapter 4: Shin Yuna (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 4 Two weeks had passed. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Parang closed her eyes tightly as she looked at her phone screen. The diving craze showed no signs of abating. In fact, it was blazing even hotter. Every day, more artifacts were discovered, and even more people were diving into the sea. ¡°Wow, everyone, do you see this? This is a real artifact, right? Oh my god, wow¡­¡± In the LIVE video on her phone screen, a body-enhancement streaming hunter was excitedly showing off a genuine artifact he had found. Streaming hunters were those who broadcasted their hunter activities live. While it wasn¡¯t their main source of income, it could be a decent side income, and for some, their broadcast earnings even surpassed their commission earnings, depending on the size of their channel. Of course, who could resist watching a live broadcast of someone fighting a dragon? Hunter live streams had quickly become the world¡¯s number one content, surpassing professional sports. And in the current climate, the hottest trend was undoubtedly diving broadcasts. Silo Corporation swiftly modified existing products and released underwater broadcasting equipment to the market. Not only that, but electronic devices with waterproof and pressure-resistant options were also being released in droves. Mass-producing electronic devices with such options would have bankrupted any company long ago, if not for Silo. Surprisingly, Parang had a stake in that business. After a few experiments and a bit of blood drawn during a visit to the Silo research lab with an agent who had come to discuss a close partnership, underwater speakers and microphones were released just two days later. Thanks to this, Parang also obtained an underwater phone. Now she could watch T-tube while lying underwater. It was a model that worked even 4 kilometers below the sea. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t a product available on the market but a custom-made one. It was more than enough as a gift from her research lab tour. Parang scrolled through T-tube while lying underwater. Most of the videos were vlogs like [Scuba Diving Day 1], and the rest were all diving broadcasts. Parang had recently taken a liking to these diving broadcasts. It wasn¡¯t out of concern that ¡°What if this broadcaster encounters a monster fish and people panic?!¡± She had those worries until last week, but now she simply enjoyed watching the diving videos. Since she only operated in the East Sea, she found vicarious satisfaction in watching shallow waters in other regions. She could swim there herself, but it was a hassle. The closest shallow sea was the Yellow Sea, which required swimming around the Korean Peninsula. Quite the extensive swim. Parang never considered traveling by land. Anyway, she felt relieved seeing that people had been enjoying safe diving experiences for two weeks without encountering any monster fish. After all, no one (except those who had been diving as naturally as breathing) had ventured to the depths where monster fish resided. It was difficult to go that deep, and there was no need to. Artifacts and gold bars were being found at depths of just 50-100 meters. ¡®Why are gold bars even showing up¡­¡¯ The deepest anyone had gone so far was 300 meters. So, there was no need to worry about people dying because of monster fish. Sure, there were 2-meter-long sharks even in shallow waters, but that was their problem to handle. Parang¡¯s concern was solely to prevent harm from monster fish. In other words, ¡®Since no one has the ability to reach the monster fish layer, I don¡¯t need to intervene with those playing in the shallow waters.¡¯ But why, one might wonder. Why is it okay for someone to get bitten by a 2-meter shark but not by a monster fish? That¡¯s because there are some creatures that must never be known to the world. Not weaklings like Bellua, but the ¡®real¡¯ ones. The ones whose mere existence could cause people to lose their will and bring chaos to society. These otherworldly calamities slumbered in the deep. Only six people in the world knew this. The underwater hunters who had witnessed ¡®those things¡¯ and survived. They had agreed never to disclose this information and to bear the burden themselves. It was a truth too immense for humanity to handle. And even if humanity knew, it wasn¡¯t like they could do anything about it. Parang was one of those six. Neither the Hunter Association, the world governments, nor Silo¡­ well, Silo might know for some reason, but no one else knew this information. And so far, only six people had access to this information. It was a relief. However, that relief was short-lived. As Parang lay underwater, fiddling with her phone, a newly started live stream title caught her eye. Parang was so shocked that she dropped her phone. It hit her face, but it didn¡¯t hurt because she was underwater. She quickly picked up her phone and opened the broadcast. The screen showed a familiar location. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ This was near her neighborhood. Parang dropped her phone again. She tried to dodge it but decided it was better to just let it hit her face. In an instant, a splash of water erupted, and Parang disappeared. S-rank crafting hunter, Shin Yuna. She was in a great mood right now. The reason was simple. ¡®25,000¡­!¡¯ Three times her usual audience was watching her broadcast. As soon as she saw the news about the Slayers¡¯ ascension, a content idea popped into her head. She started working on it the next morning and finished it yesterday. What did she make? A submarine. Today, she planned to dive down to 800 meters in the submarine she had built herself. Just like in any other hunter story, an S-rank crafting hunter was at the top of the hunter caste. Borrowing a Silo lab was as easy as breathing for her. Of course, it wasn¡¯t free. Anyway, she had even tested the submarine for pressure resistance in the lab. The hull started to buckle at the 1km mark. Even if she set aside the treasure and artifacts, exploring the unknown depths of the ocean was an exhilarating prospect. Yuna had perfectly captured the excitement of 25,000 viewers. And Yuna¡¯s heart was pounding 25,000 times more than usual. Trying to hide her trembling voice, she began her broadcast. ¡°Hello everyone~ It¡¯s Shin Yuna on July 3rd.¡± ©¤ Finally, you¡¯re broadcasting, you little¡­ ©¤ Yuna Punch! Yuna Punch! Yuna Punch! Yuna Punch! ©¤ After abandoning us for two weeks, you come back with an 800m dive, LOL. Seriously? ¡°You can¡¯t say I abandoned the broadcast. I clearly posted that I was working on something amazing for two weeks and would show it to you.¡± The chat was filled with various emojis. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Today, I¡¯m diving to 800 meters.¡± ©¤ How are you going to dive to 800, you crazy¡­ ©¤ Did you bring an underwater hunter? ©¤ What¡¯s that? ©¤ There¡¯s such a thing. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of underwater hunters, but I didn¡¯t bring one today~. Besides, I don¡¯t even know where they are.¡± Underwater hunters. Hunters who operated in the sea. Yuna knew of their existence. They were an extremely rare profession, with only about twenty in all of South Korea. They had been featured in extreme job interviews and documentaries. They were like modern-day hermits. People knew they existed, but no one really knew what they did or cared much about it. ©¤ So when are you diving? Hurry up, I can¡¯t wait. ©¤ Crazy dive concrete;; ¡°Hold on a bit. What do you mean, ¡®can¡¯t wait¡¯¡­ You¡¯re getting a temporary ban.¡± After confirming that the chat was sufficiently heated, she turned the camera from her face to the dock. ¡°Ta-da~! Let me introduce the Nautilus~!¡± ©¤What the heck is that? ©¤Is that a submarine? ©¤It looks like a submarine. ©¤Is it what I think it is? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly what you think. I spent the last two weeks building this.¡± ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C As expected, the reaction was explosive. Yuna smiled with satisfaction as the atmosphere grew more lively. ©¤Did you really build that by yourself? ©¤Wasn¡¯t building an airplane last time enough for you¡­ ©¤What airplane? LOL ©¤There¡¯s such a thing. ©¤If it exists, tell us, damn it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, building an airplane wasn¡¯t enough, so I made this~. It can dive to a minimum of 1km, and oh, I need to bake more, but I want to ride it first, so I¡¯ll just go.¡± ©¤Explain before you dive LOL ©¤The engineer¡¯s nature never changes LOL ©¤I believe you. You must be Shin Yuna. ¡°I¡¯ll explain once I¡¯m inside. Wow, this is¡­ amazing¡­.¡± This was real. Forget the broadcast; she was dying to get inside the submarine she had built. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she even felt a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen. Quickly boarding the submarine and sealing the hatch, Yuna adjusted the broadcasting equipment. Soon, the broadcast screen switched to the submarine¡¯s interior cam. The inside of the submarine, designed for a single occupant, was the stuff of dreams for many men and so-called engineers. The rough steel interior walls, a plush-looking leather chair, dozens of levers and gauges surrounding her, and the subtly gaslight-inspired interior lighting, along with the steel grating protecting the front glass window, all contributed to the aesthetic. The camera view was split into two. The main cam, positioned at the top of Yuna¡¯s chair back, captured the view of the sea ahead, while the sub cam, fixed to the ceiling, showed the entire interior of the submarine. The broadcast screen was filled with the main cam view, with the sub cam displayed in a smaller window at the bottom right. ©¤¡¯ArongSatae¡¯ donated 5,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ¡°Steampunk is life, everyone.¡± ©¤The main cam view is awesome, for sure. ©¤But it looks a bit small. Can it really dive to 800 meters? ©¤Are you new? She¡¯s an S-rank crafting hunter. ©¤Oh, then I get it. ©¤Why is an S-rank crafting hunter doing a live broadcast? ©¤We can¡¯t see her face!!! ¡°I already confirmed it can dive to 1km at the Silo lab. And my face is visible on the sub cam, so why are you saying you can¡¯t see it?¡± ©¤How are we supposed to see with that tiny screen!! ¡°Hey, watch your language. Speak properly.¡± ©¤How are we supposed to see with that Yuna-sized screen!! ¡°Get out.¡± The viewers were overly excited to see her return after two weeks. Normally, such comments would warrant a ban, but she was in a good mood, so she let it slide with a temporary ban. ¡°Alright~ Everyone, prepare for the dive~!¡± She had always wanted to say that line. ©¤Yes, Captain!! ©¤Yes, Captain!!!! ©¤Yes, Captain! And so, the submarine carrying Yuna began to sink into the sea. Illustration of Shin Yuna Name: Shin Yuna Residence: South Korea Personal Skill: ??? Chapter 5: Shin Yuna (2) Chapter 5: Shin Yuna (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 5 Yuna¡¯s dive continued. She glanced at the submarine¡¯s gauges and spoke. ¡°We¡¯re already at 400 meters. Halfway there, folks.¡± The title of S-rank crafting hunter was no mere label; her submarine boasted truly impressive performance. ¨C Thunk- Thunk- A shark, about 7 meters long, tried to sink its teeth into the glass, but the durability-enhanced glass didn¡¯t budge. ©¤Damn, that huge shark can¡¯t even scratch the glass. S-rank crafting hunters are legendary. ©¤Those teeth are so gross. ©¤The thrill is insane. Just then, a donation message popped up with a jingle. ©¤¡¯Aryang¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ¡°Monster fish? What¡¯s that?¡± ©¤You don¡¯t know about monster fish? ©¤What¡¯s a monster fish, you nerd? ©¤Aren¡¯t they those huge fish that appear from around 700 or 600 meters? ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ Aren¡¯t they just big fish? Like that 5-meter shark that appeared in Hawaii last time?¡± Or like the one right in front of her. Yuna muttered. People¡¯s understanding of monster fish was like this. Unless someone had seen them with their own eyes, no one knew their appearance, size, or danger level. There was no data. No photos or videos. There was no time to take them, and no equipment capable of capturing them had existed until now. The only monster fish people encountered were those processed and sold at the Hunter Association¡¯s material market. Even those were in extremely limited supply. So, people just thought, ¡°They must be really big fish.¡± ©¤¡¯JonnaJjangKeunJjangJjangDaePo¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ©¤What¡¯s Bellua? ©¤You don¡¯t know Bellua? Are you a civilian? ©¤I don¡¯t know either. Maybe you¡¯re the weird nerd? ©¤Wait, you made a cannon too? ©¤There¡¯s such a thing. ©¤I¡¯m seriously going to find you. ©¤Bellua is a fish? I thought it was a lizard. ©¤Yeah, I thought it was a lizard too. ©¤There they go, talking about stuff only they know. The mention of Bellua caused the chat to split. Bellua was like the mackerel of the monster fish world. ¡®Compared to other monster fish,¡¯ it was the most commonly caught and the most publicly known. The name Bellua Maria itself means ¡®sea monster.¡¯ Of course, this name was given when it was first discovered. Anyway, Bellua was like a superstar or idol among monster fish. It was the most visible to people, albeit in the form of materials. Its skin and teeth were incredibly hard yet oddly flexible, making it a popular material among enthusiasts. Naturally, Yuna had a lot to say about Bellua. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a monster fish? I know Bellua. Its skin is really tough, and it doesn¡¯t crack under most impacts, so it¡¯s great for making cannon barrels¡­¡± ©¤Oh, she¡¯s switched on again. ©¤Who mentioned monster fish? ©¤I like it though. ©¤This is definitely Shin Yuna¡¯s alt account, I swear. She chatted away for a while, seeing interesting things in the meantime. ¡°Wow, look at that, everyone! What kind of fish is that? There must be thousands of them! It must be safe to swim in such a big school.¡± And funny things. ¡°Puhahaha!! Is this showing up well on camera? How can a fish look like that?¡± ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ©¤I told you I¡¯m going to find you. ©¤Take that back right now. ©¤You know you can be sued for factual defamation, right? ©¤And beautiful things. ¡°Wow, this jellyfish is so pretty. How is it glowing so brightly? Can you see it well on the screen?¡± Let¡¯s turn off the lights and see. It¡¯s beautiful. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯ll turn off the lights right away.¡± ¨C Clunk ¨C ©¤How does even the sound of turning off the lights sound steampunk, you crazy woman? ¡°Because it¡¯s life¡­ But it really is beautiful with the lights off. Whoever suggested this, come here. I want to praise you.¡± Down, down. Yuna¡¯s submarine had now reached 700 meters, the so-called ¡®monster fish layer.¡¯ ¡°According to the gauges, we¡¯re at 700 meters, but there¡¯s nothing special here. It¡¯s just dark.¡± ©¤All those people who said you¡¯d die past 700 meters were full of crap LOL ©¤It¡¯s just the beginning; it gets really dangerous if you go deeper!! ©¤But what difference does it make if a monster fish shows up? Even that huge shark couldn¡¯t scratch the submarine LOL By now, the 700-meter monster fish layer and the monster fish themselves had become a meme in the broadcast. A specific few had been making a huge fuss, claiming, ¡°You¡¯ll die if you go past 700 meters!!¡± And since nothing had happened at 700 meters, it was only natural for them to be mocked. The submarine¡¯s performance had been so impressive that people had started to think of monster fish as just big fish, nothing to be scared of. Surprisingly, Yuna didn¡¯t encounter any monster fish even as she descended to 800 meters. ¡°Ta-da, we¡¯ve reached 800 meters. Let¡¯s take a photo of the gauge as a memento before heading back up.¡± ©¤Monster fish believers, sign here! Bellua is¡­ a lizard¡­ ©¤Why did they make such a fuss if this was going to happen? ©¤The submarine is really sturdy LOL. It went down to 800 meters. ©¤Today¡¯s broadcast was packed LOL. ¡°How can you say it¡¯s packed already? We still have to film the ascent.¡± ©¤LOL ©¤The broadcast time is duplicating LOL ©¤Are you going to disappear for a few weeks again to make something else? ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not abandonment~ Since I made the submarine, I should use it more. But the deep sea is less interesting than I thought. Maybe I¡¯ll just go a bit shallower next time?¡± ©¤That sounds better. ©¤Yeah, the deep sea is just dark and boring. ©¤???: But there are monster fish!! ©¤LOL ¨C Click ¨C Yuna took a photo of the gauge reading [800m] with her phone and started to turn the submarine back towards the surface. Then, at 750 meters, ©¤¡¯ElangVital¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ¡°Huh? A shiny thing? Wait a minute¡­ Oh? You¡¯re right! What is that?¡± As the message indicated, something faintly shimmering could be seen in the corner of her right field of vision. It was hard to make out in the darkness, but it appeared to be a vertical pillar of light. It was like looking at a skyscraper through a cloudy night sky. ¡°Oh¡­ It looks really beautiful up close. I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± The chat was once again filled with frantic messages from the monster fish enthusiasts, but she paid them no mind. Initially, she had been a bit scared, but now they were just annoying. ¨C Bubbling ¨C As she maneuvered the submarine closer, the outline of the light pillar became clearer. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The sight was so breathtaking that Yuna forgot to comment and just stared at the spectacle. In the pitch-black depths, a pillar of radiant, multicolored light stood out like a festival in an underwater skyscraper. Yuna wanted to see the dazzling light cluster up close. As she moved closer, she realized it was a fish. It was at least 70 meters long, swimming upright and emitting light from its entire body. ¡°Wow¡­ This is the most amazing thing I¡¯ve seen today. How can such a fish exist?¡± ©¤Wow, it¡¯s really beautiful. ©¤Is this the monster fish? ©¤It¡¯s fascinating, but definitely not worth the hype. Yuna agreed with the majority opinion in the chat. This mysterious creature was undoubtedly the monster fish, but it didn¡¯t seem threatening. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful. If I use this as the thumbnail for my TTube video, the views will skyrocket.¡± Yuna maneuvered the submarine to capture the monster fish from various angles, trying to get the perfect shot. She felt glad she had come down. Seeing something so beautiful and noticing that her viewer count had surpassed 50,000 was exhilarating. ¡®I¡¯ve got¡­ 50,000¡­!¡¯ With South Korea¡¯s population at 100 million, this meant that one in every 2,000 people was watching her broadcast. Even in a world where internet broadcasting was immensely popular, this was an impressive number. But something felt lacking. She felt she could capture the monster fish perfectly. The photos were slightly off from the perfect angle, frustrating her. In reality, the Galecus, having detected prey, was slowly diving and changing its position, causing the slight angle shifts. She gradually forgot about the broadcast, focusing entirely on photographing the monster fish. And she went deeper and deeper. Downward. Yuna remained focused solely on taking pictures. The sub cam¡¯s gauge showed that she had already surpassed a depth of 1km. The creaking sounds of metal bending under pressure could be heard from outside the submarine, proving this fact. The submarine was being crushed by the immense water pressure. The chat had detected the anomaly and was in an uproar. ©¤¡¯sheha¡¯ donated 10,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C Even with voice messages, Yuna was too engrossed in taking pictures to notice. ©¤¡¯JonnaJjangKeunJjangJjangDaePo¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C ©¤Why isn¡¯t she going up? What¡¯s happening? ©¤Maybe she thinks it¡¯s safe? Maybe she¡¯s still okay? ©¤Do you think those sounds are normal for a functioning submarine? ©¤Someone call 119. ©¤Are you an idiot? Even those who initially thought nothing of it were now panicking. In a potentially life-threatening situation, no one could help her. ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Get back up, you¡¯re really screwed!!!!¡± When messages didn¡¯t work, some resorted to shouting through voice recordings, but they couldn¡¯t reach her, already entranced. The submarine was visibly crumpling, with the walls bending enough to be seen on the sub cam. The chat was in chaos. Some viewers were frantically pacing, others were still sending voice recordings, and some had given up and left the broadcast. The viewer count, which had surpassed 50,000, had now dropped to 30,000. Then, as the gauge showed a depth of 1.2km, all the lights inside the submarine went out, leaving only the red emergency lights on. ¡°Emergency situation. The depth is excessively deep.¡± In the mechanical voice of the submarine¡¯s alert system, ¡°Wow, this is really beautiful¡­.¡± Yuna was still taking pictures of the monster fish. The camera attached to the submarine for filming had long since been crushed and stopped working. With a blank expression, she had stopped moving the submarine and was just pressing the shutter of a non-functional camera. Just when everyone thought it was the end. ¨C Whoosh-! ¨C ¡°Wow¡­ This is really beauti¡­ful¡­?¡± The submarine suddenly spun around, turning its back on the monster fish. There was no automatic driving function, and she hadn¡¯t turned it herself, so there was only one conclusion. Something from outside had turned the submarine around. But what? How? Why? However, none of that mattered to Yuna. ¡°What, what is this? What¡¯s happening¡­ 1.2km?!¡± Only then did she realize the state of the submarine she was sitting in. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Hah¡­!¡± She was gripped by extreme fear. Various parts of the submarine were already crumpled. Control? Engine? Of course, they were unresponsive. No matter how much she fiddled with the levers, all she saw through the window were bubbles rising, with no sign of movement. ¡°Help! Is anyone there?!¡± She babbled incoherently, not even aware of what she was saying. Overwhelmed by extreme fear, she was on the verge of a panic attack. And just before she was about to pass out, someone appeared in front of her. More precisely, in front of her submarine. Yes. Someone, not something. A woman with long blue hair and blue eyes, wearing a full-body suit that only revealed her face. It was B-rank hunter Yu Parang, looking directly at her. ¡°Who, who are you¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll save you.¡± A rare sight: a conversation between someone inside a submarine and someone outside in the water. But Yuna couldn¡¯t care less about that. She was going to be saved. Yuna nodded frantically. Parang, seeing this, thought it was fortunate that the worst outcome had been avoided. ¡®It¡¯s a miracle the glass didn¡¯t break.¡¯ Amazingly, despite all the chaos, the front glass remained completely intact. The claims of reinforced options were not an exaggeration. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you up, so don¡¯t touch anything and stay still.¡± Parang then moved to the side of the submarine, grabbed a protruding part shaped like a ¡®C,¡¯ and began to swim towards the surface. The submarine ascended very smoothly. Chapter 6: They Can’t Be Stopped Easily (1) Chapter 6: They Can¡¯t Be Stopped Easily (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 6 After what felt like an eternity. ¡°Sa¡­ saved¡­.¡± Yuna could see the sky. ¡°I¡¯m alive¡­.¡± The sun, half-submerged on the horizon, was setting the sky ablaze. Yuna thought it was the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen in her life. She stepped onto the dock, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she collapsed. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­.¡± Around her, journalists who had heard the news swarmed, and Hunter Association security personnel were trying to keep them at bay. An ambulance was parked to one side, adding to the chaos. And the person who had made it possible for Yuna to see that sunset stood before her. It was Parang. ¡°Are you alright?¡± At those words, Yuna tried to pull herself together. She didn¡¯t want to show any more weakness. ¡®Care.¡¯ A low-level self-healing skill. It wasn¡¯t enough to heal wounds properly, but it could replenish the energy she had exhausted in extreme situations. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Thanks to you, I¡¯m fine.¡± In truth, she wasn¡¯t fine. She had just survived a life-threatening ordeal. The fact that she was even somewhat okay was due to her naturally strong mental fortitude. Anyone else might have been deeply traumatized. ¡°I¡¯m glad. I was worried something might happen because it was such a bad experience.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t just bad; it was horrifying. The Nautilus, almost half-destroyed, was still floating on the surface. How it had managed to reach the surface in that state was a mystery. Yuna felt her consciousness fading. The emotions she had felt at that moment were still vivid. ¡°Don¡¯t go below 500 meters from now on. Officially, the monster fish layer starts at 700 meters, but some of them come up occasionally, so it¡¯s dangerous.¡± However, she couldn¡¯t stay like that forever. Yuna had an exceptionally strong mental fortitude. She quickly regained her composure and shook off the unnecessary emotions. Then she bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle. ¡°Thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know what would have happened¡­ I will definitely repay this kindness. Here, this is my business card. I¡¯m S-rank crafting hunter Shin Yuna.¡± An S-rank crafting hunter was someone even the world government kept an eye on. She had countless S-rank and A-rank hunters indebted to her. There were plenty of ways to repay the favor of saving her life. Parang took the business card and stood there blankly. Yuna, curious about the lack of reaction, straightened up. Only then did Yuna get a proper look at Parang. Until now, she had been too out of it to really see her face. Parang was a beauty with cat-like features. Her slightly sharp eyes were striking. The black bodysuit that revealed her figure made her look like a charismatic spy from a movie. ¡°¡­¡± Her posture and expression, as if she were contemplating something, only enhanced that atmosphere. What was curious was that, despite having just come out of the water, her face and hair showed no signs of being wet. This contrasted with the water droplets on her bodysuit. In fact, if she were to list all the curious points, she could talk all day. She refrained from bombarding her savior with questions out of respect. But she could at least ask for her name. There would be plenty of opportunities to ask more questions later. ¡°Excuse me, may I ask your name? I feel bad not knowing the name of the person who saved me¡­.¡± Realizing her oversight, Parang quickly introduced herself. No matter how much of a savior she was, she shouldn¡¯t be rude. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Hunter Yu Parang. I live nearby and followed you because I was worried when I heard you were going into the monster fish layer.¡± Parang spoke of diving into the 700-meter abyss teeming with monsters as if it were a simple errand. In truth, for Parang, it was easier than an errand. Regardless, Yuna was deeply moved. She had followed her all the way down with the intention of protecting her from the start. ¡°Thank you so much. I will never forget this kindness. Please feel free to contact me anytime.¡± She had a mountain of questions. But her head was too dizzy today, so she decided to meet again in a few days to talk and think of ways to repay the kindness. As Yuna was about to leave after bowing several times, Parang called out to her as if she had remembered something. ¡°Oh, and if possible, could you leave today¡¯s broadcast replay up? I want to use it to show people how dangerous the monster fish are.¡± It was a rather difficult request for Yuna. It was a traumatic experience for her, and it wasn¡¯t a flattering one. Knowing this, Parang asked very cautiously. Yuna thought for a moment. ¡®Oh, right. The broadcast.¡¯ She had completely forgotten that she was broadcasting. It wasn¡¯t strange that she hadn¡¯t thought about it during the ordeal; anyone who did would be unusual, not Yuna. Reflecting on what she had done, what scenes had unfolded, and what might have been captured on camera, Yuna decided, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do that.¡± She accepted the request without hesitation. Honestly, she wanted to see the footage from a third-person perspective, to see the scenes without being entranced, and to gauge the viewers¡¯ reactions as she ascended to the surface. Yuna¡¯s mental resilience was remarkable. Her near-obsessive curiosity was a bonus. With that, the two parted ways, each returning to their respective places. Yuna returned home and immediately uploaded the full version of the live broadcast replay to T-tube. She also sent the video to her editor, who had been recycling highlights due to her two-week broadcast hiatus. Thanks to real-time backups on her home computer and the independent setup of all broadcasting equipment inside the submarine, the broadcast had continued smoothly even as the submarine was being crushed. The control tower, her studio, had kept the broadcast running to seek help. Her team had been frantically contacting every underwater hunter they knew right up until Parang appeared. Naturally, after uploading, Yuna watched the replay herself, starting from the moment she encountered the glowing pillar until just before Parang appeared. She wasn¡¯t interested in the earlier parts. Watching herself on camera was eerie. She had gradually and naturally become entranced by the glowing pillar, to the point where it was hard to pinpoint when it started. The glowing pillar was still beautiful on screen. Next, she watched the part she was most curious about, the period when she had been unconscious, waking up to pray, and then passing out again, all while being brought to the surface. After calmly reviewing the entire replay, ¡°Hah, haha, what is this¡­.¡± She could only laugh in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything out of panic, just stay still.¡± After she lost consciousness, Parang disappeared off-screen. ¡°¡­I imagine many of you were surprised by my sudden appearance. I am Yu Parang, a B-rank underwater hunter.¡± Like a police officer arriving at a crime scene, she calmly explained the current situation while maneuvering the submarine. ¡°The monster you just encountered is called a Galecus. It lures its prey with light and drags them into the deep sea. It was an extremely dangerous situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching the broadcast from the beginning. I was scouring the nearby sea, ready to intervene if a monster appeared. The peculiar rock you saw around 250 meters helped me track your path.¡± ¡°You might be wondering how you can hear my voice. It¡¯s one of my skills.¡± ¡°Rank doesn¡¯t matter for underwater hunters. Because¡­¡± She even addressed all the potential questions viewers might have, explaining everything clearly. She had a talent for explaining things. ¡°¡­That¡¯s all. The deep sea is extremely dangerous. While the known monster fish layer starts at around 700 meters, the real danger zone begins around 500 meters. I recommend not going below 300 meters for safety.¡± And with a very neat closing statement. The broadcast ended with the sound of her tapping on the hatch, waking up a drooling, half-asleep Yuna. The control tower must have ended the broadcast. Having confirmed everything, Yuna collapsed onto her bed. It wasn¡¯t late, but she was exhausted. Too many things had happened. Before falling asleep, she turned on her phone while lying in bed. She intended to check the community and news one last time before sleeping. As expected, the internet was abuzz in real-time. Talks about the terrifying situation. Yuna scrolled through the comments, feeling a mix of relief and curiosity. The world had witnessed her ordeal, and the reactions were pouring in. And the discussions about Hunter Yu Parang. The entire community was still ablaze with today¡¯s events. When Yuna checked T-tube, the replay she had uploaded earlier had already surpassed 700,000 views and was rapidly approaching 1 million. Even though it was a full-length replay of the broadcast, the viewership was immense. Yuna was reminded of just how much attention she had garnered. Intending to just check a few posts before sleeping, Yuna opened some community threads. (GIF of an octopus sticking to a bald man¡¯s head. Likely an auto-attached image.) I thought monster fish were just big fish? Why is something the size of a building trying to lure people into the sea? Have we been swimming and treasure hunting above those things all this time?? ©¤The force was really something, yeah. ©¤What kind of people hunt those things? ©¤Seriously, the size is unbelievable. ©¤According to the hunter¡¯s explanation, it lures other monster fish to its nest. Sounds like a horror story. (GIF of the Galecus first appearing in the distance.) (GIF of the Galecus getting closer as Yuna approached.) (GIF of the Galecus at its closest.) It¡¯s really beautiful¡­ ©¤And you thought to make GIFs of this? ? But it¡¯s really pretty. ? True, but considering the chaos, it¡¯s a bit much. ? As long as everyone survived, why be so bothered? ©¤Seeing it like this, its size is just overwhelming. It¡¯s like an entire apartment building glowing underwater, of course it draws attention. ? Is it really the size of an apartment? How big is it? ? It¡¯s 70 meters. ? How do you know? ? The underwater hunter Yu Parang explained it in the replay. (Photos of the ¡°Pohang Bag Girl.¡± Pictures of Parang confidently heading to the Hunter Association with a sack larger than her body.) (Photos of Yu Parang captured on the broadcast. Though the lighting is poor, she does resemble the person in the earlier photos.) ©¤Looks exactly the same, right? Blue hair and blue eyes aren¡¯t exactly common. ©¤Not just uncommon, it¡¯s rare enough that having even one person in Korea with those features wouldn¡¯t be surprising. ©¤Wow, she¡¯s really pretty. Didn¡¯t notice on the broadcast. ©¤What¡¯s with the photos above? When were they taken? ?Don¡¯t you know the ¡°Pohang Bag Girl¡±? ?What¡¯s that? ?It¡¯s a meme that¡¯s been going around for years about someone carrying a sack bigger than their body near the Pohang Hunter Association. ?So, was she carrying monster fish in that sack? ?Probably, lol. ©¤She looks so happy carrying that sack, lol. ?Who wouldn¡¯t be happy going to get paid, lol. ©¤Isn¡¯t she also the ¡°Gyeongju Fish Tank Girl¡±? S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ?What¡¯s that now? ?(Hyperlink. Clicking it shows photos of Yu Parang exploring the Gyeongju Mangja Cave Dungeon while inside a fish tank.) ???????? ?What??????? ¡°Eh?¡± Yuna¡¯s image of Parang was slightly shattered at that moment. And when she checked the time, oh my, it was 3 AM. She had spent four hours reading the community posts in her current state. Communities can be scary like that. [ You have (327) unread emails. ] She ignored them all. They were probably interview requests or something similar. Yuna closed her eyes and tried to sleep. It had been an incredibly eventful day. Meanwhile, Yu Parang. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± She was also watching the replay that Yuna had uploaded. However, what caught her interest wasn¡¯t the screen but the chat. She focused on the chats that had come up while she was salvaging the submarine. Among them, one chat stood out too much to ignore. ©¤Deep sea, this is really dangerous;; ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ Maybe the way to keep people from diving into the deep sea lay here. Parang, who had recently been enjoying internet broadcasts, had at least some insight. From her perspective, the way she had handled the submarine salvage process was quite decent. She had only given a rough explanation of the situation to prevent chaos from escalating, but it had ended up being a coherent explanation of the current situation. If she were to start her own broadcast to show people just how dangerous the deep sea was¡­ With that thought, Parang took her eyes off the screen. She then went to her gallery and carefully looked through the drawings of monster fish she had made. Her eyes stopped on the drawing of the Galecus she had drawn last time. ¡°Then, maybe¡­¡± Parang closed her eyes and quietly fell into thought. And the next day. Yuna received a long text message. Chapter 7: They Can’t Be Stopped Easily (2) Chapter 7: They Can¡¯t Be Stopped Easily (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 7 ¡°¡­What?¡± Yuna frowned as she read the text message. It wasn¡¯t because she was upset; she was just a bit taken aback. The message Parang had sent was quite intriguing. In summary, it was a request for Yuna to promote Parang¡¯s broadcast on her own show. It was an audacious request, the epitome of imposing. But when you look at the details? It was very logical, clean, and left no room for rebuttal. Are the deep-sea monster fish actually dangerous? Yes. Yuna had nearly died. Should the dangers of the deep-sea monster fish be known? Absolutely. The best way to inform people? Show them directly and explain just how terrifying these creatures are. Who is capable of doing that? Hunter Yu Parang is almost the only one. What do people enjoy watching the most these days? Internet broadcasts. Who can funnel viewers into Parang¡¯s broadcast? Yuna. This was Parang¡¯s argument. Every event and the resulting claims and evidence fit perfectly. Moreover, it was a request from the person who had saved her life. This was a request that Yuna couldn¡¯t refuse. And it was a broadcast where Parang would directly hunt and explain the mysterious deep-sea monsters. Unless the broadcast was extremely poorly executed, it was bound to be a hit. Parang had already demonstrated above-average hosting skills. She had managed to smoothly handle the broadcast without interacting with the chat, just by talking to herself. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Still, there were some concerns. She would need broadcasting equipment, and even if Yuna promoted it, the initial audience might be small. Wait a minute. ¡°Am I really worrying about this? Me?¡± Yuna muttered to herself. Was she hesitating to help the person who had saved her life? That was absolutely unacceptable. It wasn¡¯t like Parang was asking her to hand over her entire broadcast, just to give a shoutout. Yuna felt a bit of a blow to her pride. She couldn¡¯t believe she was the kind of person who would hesitate over something like this. Yuna had always been strict about maintaining proper conduct, even if she had been a bit headstrong. Yuna immediately picked up her phone and began typing furiously. After finishing the message, Yuna paused, stroking her chin. Considering that she owed her life to Parang, just giving a shoutout (which was already more than a mere shoutout) felt insincere. Simply giving a shoutout would be unworthy of Yuna¡¯s name. She began composing a longer message. What more could she do¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± This was the least she could do to repay the favor. S-rank production hunter Shin Yuna pressed the send button with a satisfied expression. It didn¡¯t take long for a reply to come. Thus, a secret pact was formed between an S-rank production hunter and the world¡¯s strongest underwater hunter. Yuna immediately sent emails to the production hunters she knew. Ten A-rank and three S-rank hunters, all close friends. ¡°Hello? Yes, it¡¯s me. So, the thing is¡­¡± If she was going to do this, she wanted to turn at least South Korea, if not the world, upside down. After all, how often does one get to repay a life-saving debt? And a week later, on July 10th, the following announcement was posted on the notice tab of Shin Yuna¡¯s channel. And the hunters of South Korea went wild. (Screenshot of the announcement on the channel) She¡¯s giving away A-rank artifacts? And she¡¯s an S-rank crafter? Is this for real? ©¤No way, she¡¯s giving away ten A-rank artifacts? Just for watching one broadcast? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Who is this person? ?She is a S-class production hunter who broadcasts as Shin Yuna. ?The person who saved her from the accident . ?What kind of accident was it? ?She almost sank while exploring the deep sea in a submarine. ???What the hell? ?Wow, giving away A-rank artifacts, not just equipment, lol. ?You can choose the type¡± basically means custom-made, right? A chance to get a custom A-rank artifact from an S-rank crafter, lol. The news spread like wildfire. (Screenshot of the announcement on the channel, zoomed in on the A-rank artifact part.) Someone saves the life of an S-rank crafter and says, ¡°I¡¯m going to broadcast, can you promote it?¡± And the response is, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s give away some artifacts while we¡¯re at it.¡± Both of them are just insane, lol. ©¤Let¡¯s give away some artifacts¡± <¡ª This is the real madness, lol. ©¤Oh, because she saved her life, lol. ©¤Knowing Shin Yuna¡¯s personality, she probably gave away an S-rank artifact behind the scenes too. ¡®Maybe giving just one isn¡¯t enough.¡¯ Yuna thought as she browsed the community. She had already spent a week with two S-rank crafters to create an S-rank artifact for Hunter Yu Parang. Since it seemed like Parang used air harpoons a lot while hunting monster fish, they made a harpoon-shaped artifact. Yuna had personally witnessed Parang¡¯s monster fish hunting in preparation for the broadcast on July 27th. And she was convinced. ¡®This will work.¡¯ Although mounting a camera on her forehead had the downside of making the perspective chaotic and hard to follow¡­ With 13 production hunters involved, they had managed to increase the number of cameras to capture footage from multiple angles and reconstruct it in real-time, making it look like an FPS game. They applied the principle of how navigation systems combine footage from cameras installed around a vehicle to create a top-view video. The quality of the final footage was astounding. It felt like playing a first-person game in real-time. And then, it was July 27th. Yuna, along with 13 production hunters and the broadcast team¡¯s manager, gathered at the control tower (which was set up at Yuna¡¯s house) in a tense silence. Real-time viewers: 130,472 130,000. 130,000 people were watching Parang¡¯s broadcast. ¡°Are they really giving away A-rank artifacts for watching this?¡± People drawn in by the allure of A-rank artifacts. ¡°Monster fish? Are they hunting the ones we saw before?¡± People intrigued by the keyword ¡°monster fish hunting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this broadcast that has 130,000 viewers?¡± People who naturally followed the crowd. ¡°The guild master¡¯s orders! Increase the firepower!¡± Shin Yuna¡¯s dedicated followers. All these groups combined made up the 130,000 viewers. One-thousandth of South Korea¡¯s population. That many people flocked to Parang¡¯s broadcast. The super-server computer of Silo Corporation easily handled the load. And the first thing the 130,000 viewers saw on Parang¡¯s broadcast was a screen showing the sea from a dock. In the center of the screen stood Parang, wearing a bodysuit that covered her from neck to toe, holding a harpoon one and a half times her height. With the crown (which was actually a camera) on her head, she looked almost like a princess of an underwater kingdom. There was even an air of dignity about her, like a warrior¡­. As everyone watched, Parang opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Hello, ahem!! Hello, no, greetings. Everyone. This is Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone watching the broadcast had a question mark floating above their heads. Parang felt like she had a bright red exclamation mark above hers. ¡®Gasp¡­gasp¡­!!¡¯ She felt like she was going to lose it from the nerves. Are 130,000 people really watching me right now? Is my face turning red? Did my voice just crack? ¡®No, it¡¯s good to have a lot of viewers, but 130,000?¡¯ For Parang, who had never done a broadcast in her life, the overwhelming tension was too much. Parang looked at the screen in front of her. There she was, standing on the dock, with the chat scrolling at an incredible speed beside her. 130,000 viewers were generating this firepower. Even if fewer than 30,000 were actively chatting, that was still a significant number. ¡°We will indeed give A-rank artifacts to ten people. After the broadcast, a QR code will be displayed, linking you to the verification site. You just need to prove that you watched for more than two hours.¡± She delivered her prepared lines in a trembling voice. And then, she froze. For a full 30 seconds. She stood there, motionless in front of the camera, unable to do anything. Stuttering and showing clear signs of nervousness in front of 130,000 viewers. It could be considered a major broadcasting blunder. However, Yuna, watching from the control room, remained calm. She had anticipated this and knew it would soon be resolved. Through rehearsals, she had learned that Parang had severe stage fright, even when recording videos alone with no audience. Yuna calmly checked the viewer count. 128,000. Despite the critical mistake, viewers hadn¡¯t left. Why? Because of the artifacts. The effort of offering such a substantial reward was paying off. An A-rank artifact was worth competing for, even at odds of 130,000 to 10. Especially when the challenge was merely to sit and watch a broadcast. By now, probably 100,000 viewers had the broadcast on while doing something else. The remaining 30,000 were likely growing increasingly disillusioned. But it didn¡¯t matter. Parang¡¯s stage fright was strictly limited to dry land. Even if the 100,000 multitaskers didn¡¯t care, she could still captivate the 30,000. Securing 30,000 regular viewers on her first broadcast as a rookie streamer was laughable. ¡°If it gets too tough, just jump into the water and continue. It¡¯ll be better that way.¡± Recalling Yuna¡¯s advice, Parang managed to pull herself together. ¡®Yes. I¡¯ll dive into the sea.¡¯ That would definitely make her feel more at ease. ¡°Phew¡­ I¡¯ll explain the rest as I go down.¡± Parang, still facing away from the dock, jumped backward and performed a backflip. She entered the water fingertips first, creating no splash¡ªa perfect dive. The camera¡¯s perspective then switched to her first-person view underwater. Chapter 8: The Death of Galecus (1) Chapter 8: The Death of Galecus (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 8 ¨C Brrrr ¨C As Parang dove into the sea, the broadcast screen naturally transitioned to her perspective. And everyone who had almost given up on the broadcast was astonished. ¡°Let¡¯s continue with the explanation. The main purpose of today¡¯s broadcast is to inform you about the dangers of monster fish, which are the deep-sea giants that have become grotesque due to the influence of underwater gates.¡± Her breathing was steady, her pace was appropriate, her pronunciation was clear, and her voice was soft yet audible. The person who couldn¡¯t even greet properly was now showcasing exemplary speaking skills as soon as she entered the water. What the heck, why is she suddenly speaking so well? sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°To convey the dangers of monster fish, it¡¯s best to face them directly and show what they are. Today, I¡¯m going to catch Galecus, a monster fish that caused a major incident and is familiar to you all.¡± ©¤Galecus? That huge thing? ©¤She¡¯s going to catch that? ©¤How is she even talking underwater? ? She said it was a skill. A semi-transparent display device was fitted over her left eye to view the chat. She had worn it as soon as she received it, initially trying to gauge Shin Yuna¡¯s combat power but failing. With this device, she could scan the chat even underwater, and thanks to her superhuman dynamic vision that only manifested underwater, she could read the rapidly scrolling chat messages. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That huge thing, I¡¯m going to catch it today.¡± ©¤Do you even know where it is? ¡°Of course, I know where it is. I wouldn¡¯t have come down here otherwise. Oh, and don¡¯t bother sending donation messages; I¡¯ve turned them off.¡± Then she positioned her body vertically and began diving at an insane speed. Her depth was being detected by sonar equipment and displayed in real-time on the broadcast. 200, 260, 300, 350¡­ As the depth changed rapidly, the viewers were left in awe. On the screen, all sorts of fish, corals, rocks, and unidentifiable objects appeared and disappeared at an incredible speed. ©¤Is she really swimming? ©¤I think I¡¯m getting seasick. ©¤Did anyone else see that just now? ©¤There were thousands of things that just passed by, what are you talking about? At a speed of 30 meters per second, or 108 km/h, she was diving. In just 20 seconds, she reached a depth of 800 meters, the monster fish layer. The view, once filled with rocks, stones, and fish, had transformed into the characteristic deep blue void of the monster fish layer. This was the depth where Yuna had encountered Galecus. ¡°We should be able to find it here.¡± She dives at that speed and says, ¡®We should be able to find it here¡¯? What kind of broadcasting equipment is she using? How is it possible to transmit high-quality footage from 800 meters underwater? ©¤ Shin Yuna probably made it. ©¤¡¯S-rank production hunter¡¯ lol. ©¤So how is she going to find it? ¡°I am precisely at the coordinates where Yuna saw Galecus. It¡¯s a skill called ¡®Route Setting.¡¯¡± ©¤What kind of overpowered skill is that? ¡°I¡¯ve lived underwater for years. You end up learning various skills whether you want to or not.¡± ©¤This is basically underwater mapping, damn. ©¤Now that you mention it, that¡¯s insane. Mapping. A skill that prevents you from getting lost in a dungeon. Just having this skill makes you a valuable asset. Parang intended to reveal her full strength. Given her objective, she couldn¡¯t afford to be seen as just a ¡®slightly strong hunter.¡¯ She needed to be perceived as the ultimate underwater powerhouse, far beyond human capabilities, so people would recognize the strength of the sea monsters she hunted. ¡®Ah, you need to be at that level to deal with those creatures,¡¯ they would think. The more she demonstrated her power, the more the sea would be imprinted as a dangerous place in people¡¯s minds. However, the chat¡¯s reaction was still lukewarm. Galecus was nowhere to be seen on the screen. ©¤But it doesn¡¯t seem to be here. ©¤For real. I don¡¯t even see a shadow. ©¤Why would a fish stay still underwater? Of course, it would move. As a side note, there are fish that stay still, and they can be quite dangerous. ¡°Monster fish as large as Galecus have very long activity cycles. It couldn¡¯t have gone far, so we¡¯ll definitely find it.¡± Parang continued her explanation without pause. ¡°Galecus amplifies the small amount of light it emits with its glass-like scales. And those scales tend to fall off quite easily¡­¡± When Parang clicked on the light at her navel, fragments that shone brightly like pieces of a mirror in the sea became visible. ¡°Like this, it sheds scales along its path.¡± The fragments were strewn along the path the monster fish had taken, forming a long, shining trail. A shining road, indeed. ¡°The longer Galecus¡¯s scales have been detached, the less they reflect light. So, the scales over there are the ones that fell off recently.¡± After finishing her explanation, Parang began swimming at an incredible speed. She even encountered a Bellua along the way. ©¤What was that long thing that just passed by? ©¤I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t the only one who saw that, crazy. ¡°Bellua Maria. Commonly known as Bellua. It¡¯s the most common and well-known monster fish. I won¡¯t catch it today, but I will someday.¡± ©¤Everyone¡¯s freaking out, and she¡¯s like, ¡®I¡¯ll catch it later.¡¯ ©¤Lol, she¡¯s hilarious. Time passed, and lo and behold, the silhouette of Galecus appeared in the distance. Just as when Yuna had discovered it, it stood alone in the void of the deep sea, like a high-rise building. ©¤She really found a fish in the ocean, damn. ©¤Wow, it¡¯s still stunningly beautiful. ©¤Is that really a monster fish? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the monster fish Galecus. It looks to be about 70 meters long¡­ It seems to be the same one Yuna saw.¡± ©¤How does she plan to catch that thing? ©¤It looks like stabbing it with a spear wouldn¡¯t even draw blood. That was something to be demonstrated now. Parang didn¡¯t bother to answer. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, Galecus drags its prey to ¡®its nest¡¯ to kill it. It also uses mental attacks, so we need to be cautious.¡± ©¤But why was Yuna affected? An S-rank should have some mental resistance skills. ©¤For real. Even if she¡¯s a crafter, an S-rank should be resistant to most attacks, right? ¡°That¡¯s because Yuna looked at Galecus directly and for a long time underwater. In fact, those who watched through the screen had no issues. If even one of these conditions isn¡¯t met, it¡¯s just a pretty fish.¡± ©¤Then why is the streamer okay? Parang glanced at the display in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m an underwater hunter. My mental skills activate underwater, making them extremely powerful. You can consider me immune to most mental attacks.¡± An interesting fact, the more restrictive and demanding a hunter¡¯s skill conditions are, the exponentially stronger its effects become when fulfilled. The condition ¡®can only be used when fully submerged in water¡¯ was quite challenging. ¡®That¡¯s a benefit, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Of course, Parang saw it differently. Being in water made her skills stronger. She interpreted it in the best possible way. ©¤If you get dragged into the nest, is there no way to survive? At some point, the chat stopped mentioning A-rank artifacts. As always, the essence of internet broadcasting is ¡®entertainment.¡¯ The viewers found the current situation incredibly fascinating and entertaining. A place they¡¯ve never been, inhabited by monsters. Showing it live was already exciting, but catching the monster? They couldn¡¯t look away. Then, a lightning bolt struck Parang¡¯s mind. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a chance to show how strong I am?¡¯ The faster the decision, the better. So, Parang¡¯s next statement was enough to shock everyone. ¡°Surviving after being dragged into the nest¡­ For an average hunter, encountering it would mean instant death, and if dragged into the nest, they¡¯d already be a corpse.¡± ¡°But, if you all want, we¡¯ll take a look around the nest before hunting it today.¡± ©¤? ©¤?? ©¤? ©¤? ©¤How did that conclusion come about? ©¤? ©¤¡¯Let¡¯s give it a try¡¯ mode activated, lol. ©¤What kind of conclusion is that, lol. The chat exploded in an instant. ©¤Isn¡¯t that too risky? What if something goes wrong;; Naturally, there were concerns. She was talking about walking into the monster¡¯s nest on her own. However, thanks to her well-established image as a ¡®professional underwater hunter,¡¯ such opinions were few. It showed how much they trusted Parang¡¯s bold claims. And Parang was a genuine pro harpooner who could live up to their trust. ¡°I¡¯ve been inside Galecus¡¯s nest a few times. It¡¯s quite beautifully decorated, so it¡¯s worth a look.¡± Half true. Galecus¡¯s nest was disgustingly revolting. With her tension eased, Parang¡¯s playful side emerged. ©¤Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand what she¡¯s saying? ©¤I understood but didn¡¯t understand. ©¤I didn¡¯t understand but understood. ©¤Is this person even human? Indeed, Parang had already reached right in front of Galecus. At this distance, she could throw the harpoon and hit it. ¡°But first, we need to provoke it a bit. If we let Galecus lead us to its nest, it will take too long¡ª¡± Parang gripped the harpoon, the S-rank artifact, and assumed a javelin-throwing stance. On the screen, the tip of her harpoon aimed at Galecus was visible from the corner. ©¤Is she really going to throw it? She was. ¡°Anchoring.¡± As she uttered the skill name in that stance, something astonishing happened. The water in a long, narrow cylindrical space from Parang to Galecus disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s a skill called Anchoring. It makes thrown attacks effective even underwater.¡± ©¤ What kind of skill is that? ©¤ You need to be at this level to be a fisherman, huh? ©¤ The skill is so bizarre. ¡°It¡¯s not my skill. It¡¯s embedded in the harpoon.¡± ©¤ Wait, the weapon has a skill embedded in it? What kind of artifact is that? ¡°Yes. Yuna made it for me.¡± ©¤ Must be S-rank. ©¤ Definitely S-rank. ©¤ So it¡¯s S-rank. The reaction was one of acceptance. It was a masterpiece Yuna had poured her heart into. It couldn¡¯t be anything less than extraordinary. And Parang had been asked by Yuna to promote this harpoon. ¡°It¡¯s like the underwater version of the ¡®Sure Hit¡¯ skill that long-range hunters use.¡± ©¤ Now that you mention it, it makes sense. ©¤ Wait, she embedded ¡®Sure Hit¡¯ into an artifact? ©¤ What kind of hybrid skill is an underwater ¡®Sure Hit,¡¯ teacher¡­ In truth, Parang didn¡¯t fully understand what ¡®Sure Hit¡¯ was. She was just reciting the prepared lines. This showcased Yuna¡¯s foresight. In any case, the promotion was successful, so it was all good. Parang threw the harpoon into the cylindrical space created by Anchoring. Even a casual throw would be immensely powerful, given that an S-rank artifact was being thrown underwater by Parang. The small hole in the water expanded into a massive tunnel as the harpoon passed through. ¨C Bang¨C!!! ¨C The harpoon was thrown with incredible speed. And in an instant, it flew and¡ª ¨C Thunk! ¨C The harpoon embedded itself deeply into Galecus¡¯s body. The creature, which had been completely still, twitched. It seemed to move, then began to writhe madly, emitting a light several times brighter than before. Parang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, right.¡± The creature¡¯s frantic thrashing lit up the deep sea as if a light had been turned on. ¡°Yuna! Mute the broadcast! Now!!¡± And then, ¡®it¡¯ began to scream. ????!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sound was like hundreds of people wailing together, mixed with the sounds of ship horns, wind, and waves. It was a cacophony of all those sounds forced together. Even Parang winced at the bizarre noise. The chat, which had been scrolling rapidly, paused for a moment. ¡°Gasp¡­ Gasp¡­ What was¡­ that¡­ just now¡­¡± Yuna, in the control tower, was gasping for breath. Thanks to her quick action, Galecus¡¯s scream was broadcasted for only about 0.5 seconds. Nevertheless, the aftermath was significant. ©¤What was that sound just now? ©¤What the hell was that? ©¤What was that? ©¤My ears, damn it. ¡®I forgot to warn them.¡¯ She should have known, or rather, she did know. She should have warned Yuna in advance. Galecus would remain in that state for the next two minutes. ©¤Why is it going crazy just because it got hit by a spear? ¡®Hmm, that statement could be misleading.¡¯ Parang narrowed her eyes slightly. Though muting the broadcast couldn¡¯t be undone, it was put on hold for now. And soon enough, ©¤Oh, where¡¯s it going? ©¤Where¡¯s that thing headed? ©¤Where¡¯s it going now? Contrary to its previous upright position, Galecus began swimming rapidly towards the deeper waters. Its swimming technique changed from the stationary, upright position to the typical swimming style of a regular fish. In other words, it was writhing as it descended. Parang made an OK sign with her hand and waved it in front of her eyes. Then she retrieved the harpoon, diving straight down to follow Galecus. As expected of an S-rank artifact, it flew right into her hand as soon as she reached out. Meanwhile, Yuna unmuted the broadcast. ¡°Ah, ah, can you hear me now? I think an explanation of the recent events is necessary.¡± ©¤Yes ©¤We really need it ©¤What just happened? ¡°As you can see, Galecus has started to flee, so I¡¯ll explain as we follow it.¡± Parang increased her speed, intending to swim alongside Galecus. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m heading towards Galecus¡¯s nest. It perceives me as a threat and is fleeing to its nest.¡± ©¤So you need to be at this level to be considered a threat by a monster fish¡­ The way she¡¯s calmly talking while swimming at this speed is surreal. As she said, Parang¡¯s depth was rapidly increasing. ¡°The expected diving depth is around 2 kilometers. That¡¯s the usual depth where these creatures build their nests.¡± ©¤2 kilometers, seriously? ©¤2 km, damn. ©¤But why is it making such a fuss over a single spear wound? ©¤Yeah, with that huge body. ©¤From a distance, it didn¡¯t even look like it got hit. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll explain that as we go.¡± Having caught up with Galecus, Parang slightly reduced her speed to swim alongside it. Then, like a curator, she slowly pointed to the spot where she had thrown the harpoon. ¡°This is the hole I made with the spear earlier. If you look closely here¡ªah, this might be a bit gross.¡± She then inserted her hand into the hole and pulled it apart. A thick, white, viscous liquid began to ooze out from inside. ©¤What the heck is that? ©¤I¡¯m starting to get more scared of the streamer than the monster fish. ? You¡¯re quick to notice. ¡°This liquid that¡¯s oozing out is Galecus¡¯s eggs. I hit the egg chamber precisely, so it feels an extreme threat and is fleeing to its nest. Ah, and the way to distinguish between male and female or pregnancy is¡­¡± ©¤I¡¯m seriously starting to get scared of her. Is she even human? ©¤I¡¯m really sorry for making fun of her for stuttering on land¡­ ¡°And since the goal is to drive it to its nest, I adjusted the force just enough to puncture the egg chamber. If it had burst completely, it would have gone berserk and attacked.¡± ©¤So it wasn¡¯t a random throw. ©¤She¡¯s being ruthless to a fish, lol. ©¤Wait, that¡¯s the size of the hole from just that? Parang remained calm, even reading the chat directly now. ¡°So, someone asked, ¡®What was that sound just now?¡¯ It¡¯s Galecus¡¯s unique ¡®threat behavior.¡¯ When attacked, it makes that sound to disorient the attacker and then quickly flees to its nest.¡± She continued to chat, showing off its eyes, fins, and even taking a few scales as souvenirs. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± A massive shape began to appear faintly in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s the nest.¡± Chapter 9: The Death of Galecus (2) Chapter 9: The Death of Galecus (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 9 Parang¡¯s ¡®Route Setting¡¯ skill became more precise and accurate the deeper she went. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t use it to this extent, but now she was advancing with this skill constantly activated. After all, blindly following could lead to encountering something that really shouldn¡¯t be seen, which would be quite troublesome. Well, her field of vision underwater was much wider than the camera¡¯s, so if things went south, she planned to use a connection issue as an excuse to end the broadcast. She had already informed Yuna, who would handle things well from above the water. Fortunately for Parang and the viewers, there was no need for the camera to suddenly cut out. Parang had assessed that the likelihood of such an event was low. Galecus usually nested in isolated places. There was no need to enter a labyrinthine area like a ¡®Hive.¡¯ Eventually, she would show such places, but today was not the day. Soon, Galecus¡¯s nest came into view. The current depth was 2.3 km. As the nest began to appear on camera, the chat reactions intensified. Parang stopped in her tracks, and Galecus darted into its ¡®nest.¡¯ Although it seemed like she had lost the fish she was chasing, neither Parang nor the viewers were concerned. Parang knew she would catch it anyway, and the viewers¡­ ©¤What is that? ©¤How is something like that here? ©¤What is that, really?? ©¤Amazing deep sea;; They were astonished to see the ¡®nest¡¯ they had only imagined in their minds. Before their eyes was a massive tube that looked to be about 100 meters long. It was like a toothpaste tube, floating in mid-water, or rather, mid-sea, in place. However, there were no brand names or company logos printed on it as one would expect on a tube. It was just solid white. ¡°I don¡¯t know its exact nature either, but beyond a depth of 2 km, such absurdly large objects exist. Underwater hunters call them ¡®Objects¡¯.¡± ©¤This is seriously creepy. ©¤I¡¯m getting chills in real-time too. ©¤I thought the nest would be some kind of cave¡­ The viewers, who had expected coral or a massive underwater cave, were shocked. ¡°Not many monster fish use caves as their lairs. Unless it¡¯s an exceptionally large cave, monster fish can¡¯t even enter, and if it¡¯s large enough, it¡¯s usually already occupied by a top predator.¡± Strictly speaking, they aren¡¯t the top predators, but it¡¯s better to label them as such for various reasons. ©¤Top predator, damn;; ©¤That¡¯s not the top predator?? ©¤Where does that rank then? ¡°Well¡­ In terms of monsters, it¡¯s probably somewhere between a goblin and an orc.¡± ©¤I¡¯m never diving again. ©¤What kind of place is the ocean¡­ ©¤That¡¯s below an orc? Are you kidding me? The chat was in utter disbelief. Parang smiled with satisfaction. Seeing the comment about never diving again made her feel she was doing her job right. Feeling even more enthusiastic, Parang noticed a standout question. ©¤But why does the water colour look the same as it does near 1 km depth? ©¤?Yeah, shouldn¡¯t it be pitch black? It was true. The area around Galecus¡¯s nest was even brighter. Despite the lack of sunlight, the surroundings were filled with a deep blue rather than black. It was bright enough that the silhouette of the ¡®nest¡¯ was clearly visible on the screen without any additional lighting. ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but beyond a depth of 2 km, brightness becomes meaningless. There are places shallower than this that are much darker, and places much deeper that are as bright as just below the surface.¡± Parang didn¡¯t know much about this either. She could catch monster fish, but the supernatural phenomena occurring in the ¡®monster fish layer¡¯ were beyond her understanding. ©¤So now we¡¯re defying the laws of physics? ©¤Scientists must be crying, lol. ©¤Scientists would probably love this! Maybe not grad students, though. ©¤Take that back right now, you jerk. With stuff like that underwater, who cares about the laws of physics¡­ True to the adaptability of humans, the chat participants were accepting the scene as it was. No one thought it was fake. The journey from diving into the ocean to this point was too incredible to be fabricated. ¡°Alright, today I¡¯ll go inside for a brief look, catch Galecus, and then wrap up the broadcast.¡± ©¤I can¡¯t get used to how nonchalant she is¡­ ©¤Is she seriously talking like she¡¯s just going for a stroll? ©¤For her, going for a stroll and catching Galecus might be about the same difficulty level. ©¤Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. Regardless, Parang continued her explanation as she entered the tube. ¡°Galecus is very particular about choosing its nest. There must be no predators nearby, and it needs a long, narrow space with a place to store its captured prey.¡± ©¤Teacher, it¡¯s dark and scary. ©¤It really is scary when it suddenly gets dark. ©¤Why isn¡¯t Galecus glowing now? It¡¯s terrifying. Realizing her mistake, Parang noted that unlike her, the viewers couldn¡¯t see inside the nest. While the outside was bright, the inside was a bit darker. ¡°Galecus doesn¡¯t glow inside its nest. It only emits light when searching for food or a mate.¡± Parang turned on the light. As expected from Yuna¡¯s special lighting, it was incredibly bright, and the surroundings became clearly visible on camera. The chat exploded with reactions. ©¤What¡¯s that on the left, damn it? ©¤It¡¯s even creepier than I expected, damn. ©¤What¡¯s that on the right, crazy. ©¤Feels like watching a horror movie. ©¤Is it just me, or is there something ahead? ©¤Are we all watching different broadcasts? lol ©¤What are we supposed to do with creepy things all around? Indeed, the inside of Galecus¡¯s nest was filled with all sorts of things. There were white objects that looked like bones, green clumps of some bizarre slime, black sticky substances covering the walls, and even the faintly visible front part of Galecus in the distance. The overwhelming sight of the 100-meter-long tunnel filled the viewers with an involuntary shiver. Regardless, Parang continued her explanation. ¡°As you can see, Galecus is white when it doesn¡¯t emit light. As for the things around it, um¡­ I¡¯ll explain those later.¡± She added briefly, ¡°I think it would be hard for you all to focus on the explanation with these things right in front of you.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t catch it inside here, so I¡¯ll drag it outside and then explain everything one by one. Ah, but before that.¡± She slowly moved forward with the light on. ¡°Not all monster fish are like this, but Galecus has degenerated eyes like typical deep-sea fish. It needs to operate in dark environments to find its prey.¡± Parang reached right in front of Galecus and continued her explanation. ¡°As you can see, once Galecus settles into a position inside its nest, it never moves. Earlier, it was thrashing its head too much while swimming, so I couldn¡¯t show you this area. I¡¯m showing it to you now.¡± Then, she turned off the light, detached it from her body, and held it in her hand, bringing it close to Galecus¡¯s head. ¨C Click. ¨C Most fish don¡¯t have eyelids and can¡¯t close their eyes. The moment she turned on the light, everyone beyond the screen made eye contact with Galecus¡¯s empty black eyes. ©¤Ah, damn, that scared me. ©¤That¡¯s so creepy, damn. ¡°Oops, sorry.¡± ©¤Doesn¡¯t seem very sorry. ©¤I sense Shin Yuna¡¯s vibe from this unfamiliar hunter¡­ S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sorry. Parang¡¯s playful side wanted to give them a little scare. ¡°Alright, now that I¡¯ve shown you what I wanted to, let¡¯s get it out of the nest.¡± ©¤Saying ¡®let¡¯s get it out¡¯ in front of a 70-meter monster, lol. ©¤The scariest part is knowing she¡¯ll somehow manage it. Parang rummaged around the nest. She aimed to find Galecus¡¯s eggs. Naturally, this process brought the nest¡¯s various disgusting elements into and out of the camera¡¯s view. The viewers were having a hard time. ©¤Teacher, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking for, but please turn off the light while you search¡­ We know you can do it¡­ She could indeed find it without the light. She was just feeling playful again. Parang was starting to enjoy the broadcast. Initially, it was driven by a sense of duty to keep people away from danger, but she liked how people reacted with emotions to her words and actions. ¡®I can control their emotions¡­!¡¯ It felt a bit twisted, but as long as she enjoyed it, it was fine. Anyway, despite already knowing the location, Parang spent another five minutes rummaging through the nest before finally grabbing Galecus¡¯s eggs. ¡°Found it. These are Galecus¡¯s eggs.¡± Anyone who has seen salmon roe or flying fish roe would know that fish eggs are quite different from typical land animal eggs. ©¤This is¡­ an egg? ©¤Damn, I never imagined that. ©¤What about the eggs I knew? Moreover, how would the eggs of a monster fish look? The eggs Parang found were in the form of a long pouch. Parang held the pouch in front of her face, saying, ¡°These are the eggs,¡± and squeezed it a bit. The egg wobbled like a water balloon. When Parang turned on the light, the inside of the egg became visible, showing the creature inside moving around. ©¤Gross! ©¤Ugh ©¤The visuals are really disgusting. ©¤I was eating while watching this!! ¡°Uh, sorry to those who were eating.¡± ©¤But what was that white, gooey stuff that came out of the hole earlier? ©¤Oh¡­ ©¤Oh, what¡¯s ¡®oh,¡¯ you crazy person? ¡°Ah, that was pre-spawn eggs. The eggs form inside the body with that liquid, and when they¡¯re ready to hatch, they are laid like this.¡± So, what are you going to do with this? ¡°Most monster fish can instinctively sense the state of their eggs. They can feel if the eggs are broken or hatching, even from a distance. This is the best way to lure a specific monster fish.¡± Parang grinned mischievously and pulled out a net. She planned to take a bunch of eggs and leave the nest. If she was going to catch it, she might as well wipe it out completely. It seemed Galecus had divided its eggs into multiple clusters, storing them in various places. Of course, this was futile against the merciless monster fish exterminator, Yu Parang. Parang scoured the entire nest, sweeping all of Galecus¡¯s eggs into the net. ¡°This should be enough. Let¡¯s head out.¡± Since she was at the very end of the 100-meter tunnel, it took a while to get out. She swam slowly to avoid waking Galecus. Once outside¡­ ©¤What are you going to do now, teacher? ©¤I feel like I can calmly accept whatever she does now. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to break the eggs. When Galecus senses that the eggs are damaged outside the nest, it will come out in a rage.¡± ©¤I expected this, damn it. ©¤Galecus <- This guy is starting to seem pitiful. ¡°Since it¡¯s not just one but all of them, it will probably come out immediately once I break them. I¡¯ll count to three before breaking them so you won¡¯t be startled by its sudden appearance.¡± ©¤Thank you¡­ thank you¡­ ©¤I was too scared to watch, but I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t. ¡°One¡ª¡± Parang counted up to ¡°two¡± before she threw the net full of eggs at the entrance of the nest. About fifty eggs burst simultaneously, spreading purple slime everywhere. ¡°Oops.¡± ??????????!!!!!!!!!!!! Roarrrrr-!!!!! Galecus¡¯s body filled the camera¡¯s angle, which was filming the entrance of the tube from the side. It looked like a train passing right in front of the camera. ©¤Damn it, you said you¡¯d count to three! ©¤I spilled my coffee out of shock. ©¤I trusted you, I trusted you, I trusted you. ¡°My hand slipped.¡± She said it in a calm tone, as if she were saying, ¡°The weather is nice today.¡± ¡®Since I need to show how terrifying the ocean can be, this much should be fine.¡¯ Parang struggled to suppress her laughter, her lips curling up almost to the surface. ¡°Sorry, huff. About that.¡± ©¤You were definitely holding back laughter just now, right? ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± She was. Chapter 10: The Death of Galecus (3) Chapter 10: The Death of Galecus (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 10 ¡°It¡¯s enraged.¡± I¡¯d be enraged too. It was a valid point. But Galecus wasn¡¯t a viewer or Parang, so she decided not to care. ¡°I think I¡¯ve shown you everything there is to see about Galecus. Now, after catching it, the nest¡­ Did you get a good enough look at it earlier?¡± ©¤Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. ©¤We completely understand. ©¤No need to go back in!! The viewers, who had suffered enough during the egg-gathering process, had no desire for further explanations about the nest. ¡°I¡¯d like to take a closer look and explain more if possible, but since you say so, I guess I have no choice.¡± Parang looked at Galecus, which was furiously thrashing around in the water, searching for her. ©¤Is it okay to leave it like that? ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s fine now because it¡¯s blinded by rage, but once it calms down a bit, it will find me immediately.¡± Parang finished speaking and opened the cartridge on her left arm, taking something out. ¡°Yuna, can you switch the broadcast to Camera 3?¡± ¡®Camera 3?¡¯ Yuna tilted her head in confusion but switched the broadcast to Camera 3. It was the camera Parang had taken out from the cartridge. As she brought it to the entrance of the nest, the vacuum suction plate activated, fixing the camera in place. The view switched from Parang¡¯s perspective to a view from the nest entrance, showing the space in front. Parang¡¯s face filled the screen as she checked if the camera was securely fixed. It was what people call an ¡°extreme close-up shot.¡± ©¤She¡¯s pretty even from this angle. ©¤Wow¡­ ©¤But why the sudden camera switch? ¡°The upcoming battle would make you dizzy if viewed in first-person. Watch from here.¡± Parang confirmed the camera was securely fixed and stepped back, revealing Galecus still swimming madly in the distance. ¡°I¡¯m off. Ah, to make it more comfortable for you to watch, I¡¯ve added a new feature to the suit.¡± Parang tapped the left shoulder of her suit. With a flash, the entire suit lit up in a bright blue, making Parang look like a human light source. ¡°This way, you can clearly see my movements.¡± As she spoke, Parang¡¯s eyes glowed blue. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m off.¡± ¨C Swish-!! ¨C The blue line she drew reached Galecus in an instant. ¡°By the way, the mic is still connected.¡± The broadcast screen shifted to a view of Parang and Galecus¡¯s fight from a distance. ¡®She planned this from the start¡­!¡¯ Yuna was astonished. Regardless, Parang was busy contemplating how to handle Galecus. ¡°Ambushing would be boring, so I¡¯ll draw its attention first.¡± ©¤Ambushing is boring (while grinning). ©¤Teacher, this isn¡¯t about fun. ¡°Galecus has an exceptional ability to sense vibrations and sounds in the water. Just a small explosion nearby will reveal my location.¡± Parang used a skill to create a water bubble. It was a bit awkward with her left hand since she was holding an egg in her right hand. Still, a soccer ball-sized water bubble formed and then popped. Galecus, which had been swimming madly, suddenly stopped and turned its head sharply towards Parang. Parang popped the remaining egg. Then she smiled brightly. ¡°Peek-a-boo.¡± ??????!!!!! The battle began. Galecus charged at Parang, thrashing its head wildly. Parang watched with interest. Having only ambushed from the sides before, it was her first time seeing the inside of Galecus¡¯s mouth. ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t have a jaw.¡± Parang retrieved the harpoon she had left in the nest. Expecting it to have a jaw like a garfish, she was surprised to see a round, straight throat with spiral teeth, similar to a lamprey. Each tooth was about the same size as Parang. It was like a fly attacking a human. However, Parang could swim at incredible speeds, throw harpoons, and cause explosions. She was like a super ultra fly. ¡°I won¡¯t drag this out too long.¡± She swallowed the rest of her words, thinking it might come off as too much. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang moved sideways at an incredible speed, dodging Galecus¡¯s trajectory. Then, as if stepping on an invisible wall, she stopped without any rebound and charged at Galecus. From start to finish, she had no intention of giving a mere fish the upper hand. ¡°Anchoring.¡± Immediately, a water pathway opened, connecting to Galecus¡¯s gills. ¨C Bang!! ¨C The harpoon was thrown at a terrifying speed. From skill activation to the throw, it took just 0.5 seconds. Parang shot forward, overtaking her own throw. She swiftly moved to the opposite side of Galecus, matching its speed next to its left eye. ¡®Retrieve¡­!¡¯ She reached out and retrieved the harpoon she had thrown, watching it fly back towards her at the same speed. ¨C Swoosh-! ¨C The harpoon pierced through from the opposite side, entering through the gills, passing through the brain and eye, and landing in Parang¡¯s hand. ????!!!!????!!!?!!! ©¤Wow, what¡¯s with the suit¡¯s light? It¡¯s really pretty. Due to the underwater environment, her streaming had a 2-3 second chat delay. Parang smiled at the satisfactory speed and positioned herself ahead of Galecus, which was now swimming much slower due to its damaged vital organs. Not that it could ever match her speed in the first place. Galecus charged with its mouth wide open, but by the time it reached where Parang had been, she had already moved and was swimming next to its gills again. What Galecus swallowed, thinking it was her, were four explosive air bubbles. She had created them in a line at 20-meter intervals, and Galecus had swallowed them like Mario collecting coins. Confirming the bubbles were inside, Parang quickly drew a blue line as she pierced Galecus¡¯s rear, middle, and front sections with her harpoon. These were the brain, heart, and central tail muscle. Explosions erupted from the pierced spots. She had precisely punctured the scales and burst the air bubbles inside. Galecus suffered fatal damage to three critical organs in an instant. Parang¡¯s blue trail in the water made it look like the creature was threaded on a string. ©¤Why would you willingly stand in front of its mouth? Speed, check. ?????¡­¡­¡­ Galecus, now unable to swim and barely clinging to life, floated motionless in the water. It was time to finish it. Parang gripped the harpoon with both hands, aiming it forward like a gun. She charged. ¨C Ziiiiiik-!! ¨C The harpoon tore through Galecus¡¯s flesh, leaving a long, red wound. Parang paused. Originally, she had planned to kill it with straightforward slashes. But something felt lacking. She wanted something more performative, artistic, something that would leave an impression. Then, a scene from a novel she had read in her past life flashed in her mind. Wouldn¡¯t this be a fitting end for the performance? She remembered the camera was positioned over there. Parang looked at the 70-meter canvas before her. ¨C Zik- Ziiiiik! Zik! Zik!! ¨C ©¤What is she doing now? ©¤Is she doing what I think she¡¯s doing? ©¤Looks like it. Deep-sea Monster Hunting Broadcast She scrawled in red letters across Galecus. She had intentionally led it close to the camera, making it clearly visible on the screen. ¡°Introducing myself as B-rank underwater hunter Yu Parang, who you¡¯ll be seeing often. Nice to meet you.¡± ©¤What? ©¤What is this? ©¤Huh? She suddenly plunged the harpoon into the letters. Deep-sea Monster Hunting Broadcast. At the same time, the fourth bubble, impaled by the harpoon, exploded with a bang. It was located where the egg sac was. ?¡­?¡­ Galecus did not dissolve into light and disappear. Unlike the orcs on the surface or the superstar Velua, Galecus was a creature of Earth affected by the Gate. Since the eggs had already been laid, creatures emerging from the Gate couldn¡¯t reproduce. Thus, what remained of Galecus was just a corpse. Even Parang couldn¡¯t drag a 70-meter monster¡¯s corpse to the surface. It could attract other monsters, and there was no reason to do so in the first place. ¡°There¡¯s not much to salvage from Galecus¡¯s body¡­ The teeth are soft, and the skeleton isn¡¯t worth much.¡± In short, it was a fish that didn¡¯t bring in money. So why did she catch it? Parang could answer confidently. Because there was a monster. With such a creature floating around in the sea, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it. So, she killed it whenever she saw it. Anyway, the Galecus hunt was a great success. The chat was burning with the fastest speed since the broadcast started. However¡­ ¨C Thud. ¨C ¡®I¡¯ve dragged this out too long.¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯ll end the broadcast here. See you all next time.¡± ¨C Thud. ¨C ©¤Wait, here? ©¤Hold on, no way. ©¤Huh? ©¤Teacher? ¨C Thud. ¨C Parang quickly turned off all the lights on her suit and manipulated the cartridge to send a signal to Yuna. An emergency broadcast termination signal. ¨C Thud. ¨C In any situation, this signal meant the broadcast had to be terminated immediately. Fortunately, an alert sound indicated that Yuna had properly handled it and the broadcast was ended. ¨C Thud. ¨C ©¤This is B-rank¡­? That was the last message before the chat stopped. ¨C Thud. ¨C After confirming that, Parang quickly gathered her belongings and hid inside Galecus¡¯s nest. Going deeper wasn¡¯t an option. She hid in the narrow junction between the nest¡¯s entrance and the wide passage. ¨C Thud. ¨C She was hiding behind the door. ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. ¨C Parang pressed herself tightly against the wall, not even daring to breathe. ¨C Thud. ¨C Eventually, something filled the hole of the tube where Parang was hiding. An eye. It was peering inside. ¡± ¡± It was ¡ö¡ö. ¡­¡­¡­ ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud. ¨C ¨C Thud¡­ ¨C Eventually, it disappeared into the distance. Parang cautiously peeked out from the gap in the tube. Far away, beyond the navy mist. Something was standing there. A human. To be precise, something in the shape of a human. It was so large that, despite the immense distance, its form was clearly recognizable. Parang knew what it was. A statue. Like the Statue of David or the Venus de Milo. A giant statue in the shape of a human. But it was definitely not a statue. Something pretending to be a statue was walking under the sea. As soon as Parang got home that day, she fell asleep without doing anything else. The extreme tension had suddenly dissipated, bringing a wave of exhaustion. There was, of course, no trace of Galecus. Thus, it wasn¡¯t until the next morning that Parang realized her broadcast had turned the world upside down. And then, ¨C Rustle- Rustle ¨C ¨C Crackle ¨C ¡°This is Head. Beta Team, report your status.¡± ¡°Beta Team has arrived at the operation area. Entering with Alpha and Gamma, what the, who are you¡­ Ugh!!¡± ¨C Thud. ¨C ¡°Should we kill them?¡± ¡°Why ask the obvious?¡± ¡°Mmph!! Mmph!! Mmph!!!!¡± ¡°That¡¯s nine now.¡± ¡°Any more?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Nine S-ranks¡­ They must have been in a hurry.¡± ¨C Crunch! ¨C ¡°Gup, Ugh, Grrr¡­.¡± ¡°Throw them into the sea.¡± ¨C Splash. ¨C ¨C Crackle ¨C ¡°This is Head. Beta Team, respond, Beta Team! Damn it, Chief!!!¡± ¡°What should we do with this radio?¡± ¡°Break it.¡± ¨C Crunch. ¨C ¡°Should we throw this into the sea too?¡± ¡°No, bring it back with us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Parang had no idea that nine S-rank hunters who appeared in front of her house that night were ambushed and thrown into the sea. She had a blissful sleep for the first time in a while. Chapter 11: Interlude (1) Chapter 11: Interlude (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 11 ¡°Ugh¡­ Ah¡­¡± After a deep-ocean broadcast, Parang woke up refreshed from a deep sleep. She stretched thoroughly, feeling revitalized. It was eleven in the morning. Another late start. While she slept, the world had been desperately searching for her. Parang looked at the mountain of notifications and missed calls. She tried not to panic. After all, she knew what she had done yesterday. The last viewer count she saw was 200,000. Two hundred thousand. Not twenty thousand, but two hundred thousand people had watched her antics, and she had wrapped it up in a rather haphazard manner. She had somewhat anticipated this level of chaos. With a resolute determination, Parang opened her email inbox. Unlike when she had just rescued Yuna, she now had an open channel for incoming messages. ¡­Such a disaster didn¡¯t happen, surprisingly. Thanks to Yuna¡¯s clever tactics. ¡®After the broadcast, people will line up demanding artifacts. They¡¯ll present all sorts of sob stories.¡¯ To preemptively filter out such people, Yuna created a dedicated email for and directed all artifact-related questions there. She even threatened to exclude anyone who mentioned artifacts in the wrong channel from the drawing. Artifacts were to be distributed through a separate site with individual verification. There was no reason to inquire outside of that. Any inquiries that came in? All begging. The email was internally considered non-existent from the moment it was created. Next were inquiries related to Hunter Yu Parang. Interviews, sponsorships, and guild invitations were also separated into different email channels. Parang and other production hunters wondered, ¡®Is this really necessary?¡¯ but Yuna insisted it was ¡®absolutely necessary.¡¯ Now, Parang thought she was right to listen to her. The attention of the world focused on her was far more cumbersome than she had imagined. ¡®Ah, I ignore everything.¡¯ Some might do that, but Parang was a bit too cautious for that. So, the emails Parang had to deal with: 2,892 interview requests, 122 sponsorship inquiries, and 45 guild invitations. A total of 3,059 emails. Still a lot, but considering she had given away ten A-rank artifacts in front of 200,000 people (partially omitted), it was surprisingly few. Moreover, she could narrow it down further! The three thousand interview request emails before her. Given her goals, she couldn¡¯t ignore them all. But she could filter them. About 2,500 of them were from T-tubers. Parang opened her notepad and pulled up the ¡®List of Acceptable Media Outlets.¡¯ It was a list agreed upon by fourteen production hunters of various ideologies, genders, and ages, deciding ¡®These media outlets are okay!¡¯ Then she searched the emails -> filtered -> searched by sender. ¨C Tap- Tap ¨C [ Hunter Times ] Six emails. [ Post Korea ] Ten emails. [ Sub Garnet ] Nine emails. She deleted the rest. Parang, who had extended her ruthless extermination from monsters to emails. In an instant, three thousand emails were reduced to twenty-five. The power of this feat could astonish the world. (Not really.) Anyway, Parang skimmed through the emails and replied to reporter Lee Hyungjin from [Sub Garnet]. It was because of one sentence that touched her heart. [Interview can be conducted underwater.] Parang had been extremely worried about trembling during the interview. Interview requests, handled. Next was sponsorships. Parang didn¡¯t need financial support. All deleted. Guild invitations. Same thing. What guild could possibly help her at a depth of 1km underwater? All deleted. Still, Parang thought about starting a guild someday. An underwater hunter guild. Wouldn¡¯t that be cool? Well, that was something for the future. Parang still had things to do. There were still people who wanted to talk to her. People who didn¡¯t need ¡¯emails¡¯ to contact her. Hunter Association, World Government, Silo. Except for the Hunter Association, these were remnants left by the original protagonist and the Slayers. Of course, the only thing officially established by the Slayers was Silo Corporation. The World Government claimed to be ¡°a unified global government centered around Seoul to prevent the dispersion of hunter power due to hegemony competition.¡± ¡°Then how do you explain the hunter units under your command?¡± ¡°Oh, they volunteered to serve.¡± ¡°Why Seoul?¡± ¡°Geographically, it¡¯s convenient.¡± Obviously, that¡¯s nonsense. No one seriously believes it. Thus, all sorts of conspiracy theories have sprung up. From Reptilians to resurrected Nazis, flat Earth theory, donut Earth theory, and even the Flying Spaghetti Monster¡­ there are countless theories. The most overwhelmingly supported one is the Slayers conspiracy theory. The theory that ¡°Hunter Han Siwoo created it.¡± It¡¯s not really a conspiracy theory because it¡¯s true. It¡¯s called a conspiracy theory, but it¡¯s an open secret. The first president of the World Government? Kang Yuri, Slayers. Second president? Olivia Cloverfield, Slayers. Third president? Yoo Sungjun, Lancers. Oh! Third president Yoo Sungjun! Is he the hero on a white horse who ended the Slayers¡¯ brutal dictatorship? Not at all. The Lancers were the second team of Slayers, nurtured by Hunter Han Siwoo to maintain Earth¡¯s order after his ascension. Given their purpose, they had an enormous number of members, each a world-class powerhouse. They are the organization that practically rules the world now. They are also the reason why order is maintained even after the Slayers¡¯ ascension. Hunter Han Siwoo had a knack for grooming successors. Because of their overwhelming power, they can¡¯t cause any trouble even if they wanted to. So, what happened to the existing governments? They still exist, as subordinate organizations of the World Government. If the World Government is the Blue House, the national governments are like city halls. So, while there are some behind-the-scenes power struggles, there are no wars, armed protests, or diplomatic disputes. Next, Silo Corporation. Think of these guys as a colossal conglomerate that has swallowed the world. With unparalleled capital and technology, they have devoured the global market¡­ And then did nothing special. The world¡¯s economy surprisingly operates the same as it did before Silo. The founder is Hunter Han Siwoo. Lastly, the Hunter Association. Current president, Igarashi Natsuko. Lancers. Vice president, Alisa Kozlov. Lancers. Asia regional head and Seoul branch head, Seo Sunwoo. Lancers. Europe regional head and Berlin branch head, Alfonso Lopez Blasco. Lancers. North America regional head and¡­ Lancers. This is the world after the end of a typical overpowered hunter story. As expected of the protagonist of such a tale, the aftermath is handled very neatly. No loose ends. Surprisingly, these three organizations are currently in a competitive relationship. Hunter Han Siwoo, who was a Korean to the core, established a system of separation of powers on Earth even as he ascended. About five years before his ascension, the Slayers stepped back, and the Lancers took their place. Anyway, out of the three organizations that rule this world, two had contacted Parang simultaneously. First, the World Government. ¡°Are you Hunter Yu Parang?¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± While she was processing emails, a man in sunglasses and a suit showed up with a government ID, handed her some documents, and disappeared. The documents contained details about the time, place, and other minor things. Next, the Hunter Association. Right after the World Government agent left, Manager Choi called. ¡°Parang, can you come to the Seoul Association next Sunday? The branch manager wants to meet you.¡± ¡°What? The branch manager?¡± Parang was quite surprised. Manager Choi was somewhat seasoned in the Association, but was he important enough to run errands for the branch manager? When she asked him over the phone, Manager Choi replied, ¡°There¡¯s something. It¡¯s not a bad thing for you, so trust me and go.¡± ¡°Well¡­ okay. Next Sunday then¡­¡± ¡°August 4th. At 2 PM.¡± It was the same date suggested by the World Government. Well, it was probably just a scout offer. Parang accepted the proposal without much thought. She had known Manager Choi for eight years now. Lastly, Silo Corporation. Surprisingly, there was no contact from them. Honestly, Parang was surprised. Hadn¡¯t she had a good relationship with Silo so far? They even made her diving suit and gave her a phone. Moreover, the broadcast she did yesterday was an achievement that could easily astonish Silo. The World Government and the Hunter Association had contacted her out of surprise. Well, they must have their reasons. She decided not to think too deeply about it. Anyway, Parang had received calls from two of the three leading organizations in the world. And finally. Parang turned on her phone for the first time since waking up. Missed calls: (9) Messages: (3) SiloTalk: (77) Friends, benefactors, and acquaintances had sent messages filled with worry, pride, and admiration, seeing her at the center of the bustling world. First, the missed calls. Three calls from Yuna. Hmm, she felt a bit guilty. One call from ¡®Director.¡¯ sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Five calls with caller ID restricted. Parang decided to call Yuna first. ¨C Ring¡­ ¨C ¨C Click. ¨C ¡°Hello?¡± Her voice sounded a bit tired. ¡°Oh, Yuna?¡± ¡°Go ahead¡­¡± Correction. She sounded really tired. Did she stay up all night? Parang decided not to ask. Knowing would only increase her guilt. ¡°Just, you helped me a lot this time. I wanted to thank you, um¡­¡± To be honest, Parang had never received such a significant favor in her life. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond in such situations. ¡°Oh, stop. If you¡¯re thinking of repaying me, don¡¯t. It makes me uncomfortable to be repaid for a favor, and more importantly¡­¡± ¡°More importantly, I¡¯ve gained a lot from this as well.¡± Parang tilted her head in confusion. She wasn¡¯t very good at understanding these kinds of things. Had Hunter Shin Yuna gained something from this? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Even after thinking it over, she couldn¡¯t figure it out. While she continued to tilt her head, Shin Yuna spoke up first. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve gained so much from the broadcast we did. That¡¯s why I called earlier. If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯d like to continue cooperating with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Parang jumped in surprise. Was it really that beneficial? ¡°What kind of benefits did you get to such an extent¡­?¡± ¡°In broad terms, three things.¡± Three things. Throughout history and across cultures, the number three symbolizes perfection and completeness. Everything is one in three, and one should naturally be divided into three. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; rock, paper, scissors; yuri, yaoi, no romance. Anyway, Parang listened intently. ¡°Parang, production hunters are essentially merchants. They live by selling what they create to others. And the two most important things for a merchant are recognition and reputation.¡± Parang knew that well. The more recognition and reputation, the better. ¡°First, recognition. 200.000 people saw the artifacts I made and the broadcasting equipment that works at a depth of 2km.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Second, reputation. Right now, the public sees Hunter Shin Yuna as someone who gave away ten A-rank artifacts to help a benefactor who saved her life.¡± Parang finally slapped her forehead. Wait, she almost did. ¡°Then what¡¯s the third thing?¡± ¡°Really, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°You. Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Parang made a dumbfounded sound. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? A hunter who received 3,000 interview requests from one broadcast, who got 45 guild invitations at the same time, and who is being noticed by both the World Government and the Hunter Association. I don¡¯t intend to end my interaction with such a person after repaying a favor. Anyone would feel the same.¡± Parang finally realized her position. When looked at individually, each thing seemed understandable (not at all), but when put together, she finally grasped the situation she was in. Hunter Shin Yuna continued speaking without giving Parang a chance to think. ¡°So, what do you say? Would you seriously consider collaborating with me? Although it might sound self-serving, I believe I proved my capabilities in the last broadcast.¡± She was right. Parang felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®Proved her capabilities in the last broadcast¡¯? How long had she been planning for this moment? The light-hearted image from the broadcast had vanished without a trace. Shin Yuna. She was someone who had reached the S-rank position in this harsh society. And Parang, outside of the water, was weak to such charisma. ¡°Th-then, shall we meet and talk¡­?¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m available anytime, so just let me know when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡± There was no way it was okay. It meant that no matter what she was doing, she would drop everything and come running at the time Parang suggested. She¡¯s not someone to be taken lightly, Parang thought after hanging up the phone. Next, she checked the remaining messages. Three texts. They were from the orphanage director who had taken care of Parang after she was reincarnated as an orphan. Unlike the typical orphanage directors in novels, this one genuinely cared for and loved the children, supporting them in every way possible. Even after becoming independent, Parang often visited the orphanage with a load of beef whenever she had time. Director: Parang, you seem busy, so I¡¯m leaving a text. Director: I watched your broadcast. You looked happy. It¡¯s a good thing. Director: I¡¯m cheering for you. The affection that dripped from the director¡¯s rough texts made Parang¡¯s heart ache. Parang immediately called the director. ¨C Ring¡­ Ring¡­ ¨C ¡°The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the beep¡­¡± Oh, she must be busy. The director often couldn¡¯t answer calls because she was playing with the children. Parang decided to convey her message through text. [Thank you, Director. I¡¯ll visit you sometime next week.] She planned to bring not just beef, but also chicken, pork, fish, and set up a buffet for the entire orphanage. And then, the five calls with caller ID restricted. These weren¡¯t calls she needed to return. Parang entered a secret chat room on SiloTalk. The room name was simply a dot. There were six members. All names were randomly generated by default. Buzzing Car Moody: &2* I900 5-3 3km Q. July 28th, 7 PM, Arctic Ocean Point 3, 3km, urgent. She checked the time. It was 3:40 PM. For Point 3 in the Arctic Ocean, even Parang would need to use a warp station. Parang quickly changed clothes, dashed out of her house, and dove straight into the water, heading for Seoul. Chapter 12: Interlude (2) Chapter 12: Interlude (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 12 Meanwhile, as Parang shouted, ¡°I¡¯m late!¡± and dove into the sea, the world was beginning to experience ripples of change. (Captured GIFs from Parang¡¯s broadcast. The screen suddenly brightens, revealing Galecus¡¯s eyes.) (Captured GIFs from Parang¡¯s broadcast. Galecus is seen going berserk.) This is like something between a goblin and an orc lol. The deep sea is truly amazing. Upvote if you¡¯re never going to dive again and live diligently on land lol. I¡¯ll start~ ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote~ ©¤Oh, give a warning before posting GIFs. ©¤Upvote ©¤For real lol. I sold all my diving gear at home. ©¤You can just dive in the surface layer, right? Why make a fuss if you can¡¯t even go deep-sea diving lol. ? No, it¡¯s just scary knowing those things are right below me with only water in between. ? That is genuinely scary, yeah. So these guys who claim to oversee all hunters worldwide (Captured GIF of Parang hunting Galecus) call someone like this ¡®B-rank¡¯ lololololol. Just quit already. ©¤But how do they measure the combat power of underwater hunters? ? They have separate tests for production hunters to get S-rank, so why not for underwater hunters? ? For real lol. They could just take the test underwater. ? Igarashi Natsuko <- This guy is just incompetent lol. ? Why bash someone who hasn¡¯t even been the president for a month? If you¡¯re going to bash someone, bash the former president. Tsk tsk. ©¤It pisses me off that they refuse to create a rank above S. Either reduce the number of S-ranks or create higher ranks. Why lump someone who barely defeats a wyvern with someone who can take on a dragon 1v2? ? For real. ©¤I¡¯m not a Hunter Association employee, but considering Yu Parang¡¯s abilities, her combat power on land might be lacking. However, considering her combat power underwater, she far exceeds the combat capabilities of an S-rank hunter and is irreplaceable. Internally, we¡¯re considering promoting her to S-rank. ?? ? Who is this guy? ?? (GIF of Parang handling Galecus¡¯s egg. The disgusting interior is truly as expected.) ©¤Oh, damn it. ©¤Ugh. ©¤Moderator!!!!!!! ©¤Is this fun for you? ©¤These jerks can¡¯t even be reported for spam, it¡¯s so frustrating. ©¤I can¡¯t be the only one seeing this, immediate upvote. ¡°Ah.¡± Shin Yuna quickly turned off her phone after seeing that. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The disgusting image of Galecus¡¯s egg was still vividly etched in her mind. How could Hunter Yu Parang see something like that and remain unfazed? Is there something wrong with her psyche? The best way to forget such things is to get to work. Yuna got up from the sofa and headed to her workshop. Her house was quite empty. She was almost done preparing to move. To where? Pohang. She had decided to set up her home in Parang¡¯s village. It was already agreed upon with Parang. However, being an S-rank, and a production hunter at that, it took several days just to move her stuff out. Yuna left her house and went down one floor. A four-story building located in Seoul. The fourth floor was her living space, and the first to third floors were all used as her workshop. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yuna looked around as she entered her workshop. From large items to small ones, everything was piled up like a mountain. Cars, planes, cannons, even a submarine under repair. Moving all of this would cost a fortune, but she decided to do it. Money wasn¡¯t an issue for her, but she could never give up on these projects. Yuna navigated through the myriad of machines to the most prominent one. It was her current project. It had four propellers, two at the front and two at the back, thick iron plates, a rugged camera, and a streamlined body. An unmanned submersible. She had no intention of giving up on the deep sea. While she knew it was madness to enter it herself, an unmanned submersible would be fine. Yuna felt like she would go crazy from her desire to explore the deep sea. The thrill of discovering the unknown was like a drug to her. She thought that this unmanned submersible could surely help Hunter Yu Parang as well. It could be rigged with bombs for self-destruction or equipped with torpedoes. Of course, she didn¡¯t do the foolish thing of keeping it a secret from Parang for the sake of a surprise. She planned to complete the submersible, have Parang review it, and then send it down. ¨C Clang, clang, clang. ¨C ¨C Creak, creak. ¨C ¨C Clunk, clunk. ¨C Yuna picked up her tools and began working. # Meanwhile, in a household in Gimpo. ¡°It¡¯s done¡­!¡± A middle-aged man sitting in front of a computer exclaimed in delight. ¡°It¡¯s done!!! It¡¯s really done!!! Hahaha!!!¡± Lee Hyungjin, a reporter from the major media outlet [Sub Garnet]. He had just received a reply from Hunter Yu Parang agreeing to an interview. The fact that he mentioned the possibility of conducting the interview underwater must have played a decisive role. He immediately called his daughter. ¨C Ring. ¨C ¨C Click. ¨C ¡°Hello? Dad?¡± ¡°Siah! It¡¯s done!! I secured an interview with Hunter Yu Parang!!!¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yes! All thanks to you, my wonderful daughter¡­¡± The reason he could propose an ¡®underwater interview¡¯ to Hunter Yu Parang was thanks to his daughter, Lee Siah, who was a university student and also a C-rank underwater hunter. Hearing the good news from her father, Lee Siah felt like she was dreaming. The thought of meeting her idol, Hunter Yu Parang, in person made her so nervous she doubted she could sleep. After expressing her love and gratitude to her father multiple times, she ended the call. Of course, she would have to follow the script her father prepared for the interview, but she hoped to have a brief personal chat before or after the interview. Her small apartment was filled with pictures of strange fish. Although, for now, the only fish in the photos was Galecus. Siah pulled out a book from her shelf. It was a collection of photos she had taken while diving. Various fish, corals, and sometimes even sharks. She was a fish enthusiast, but unlike Parang, she didn¡¯t have the ability to dive into the deep sea, so she had focused on observing surface-level fish. If she could connect with Hunter Yu Parang through this opportunity, she planned to gather as much information as possible about deep-sea fish. And also about the mysterious phenomena and items from the abyssal zone. She hugged the album tightly, lost in a blissful dream. # Meanwhile, over the Pacific Ocean. Above the vast, empty sea where not even an island was in sight, five transport planes appeared. ¡°We¡¯ve reached the target point.¡± The pilot in the front seat reported, and the man seated behind him responded. ¡°Drop it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The belly of the transport plane opened, and something began to fall into the sea. Gold coins, jewels, low-grade artifacts, equipment, and more. The treasures that filled the five transport planes were being dumped into the sea with a splash. These treasures would ride the currents and eventually reach the shores of various countries. ¡°Drop complete.¡± ¡°Return.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At that moment, the radio in the man¡¯s pocket suddenly crackled. ¨C Crackle- Crackle- Beep. ¨C ¡°Report.¡± ¡°A fisherman was bitten by a shark.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Th-that is¡­¡± The atmosphere in the cabin instantly turned icy cold. ¡°Losses?¡± ¡°Nine.¡± ¡°Were there other fish near the shark?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± ¡°¡­Still identifying.¡± ¡°Still identifying?¡± ¡°¡­It was a sudden ambush, so¡­¡± ¡°Hmph¡­¡± No one in the cabin dared to breathe. ¡°Compile a list of everyone involved, including the one who drafted the operation plan and the one in charge. Send it to me within three hours.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡°Make up a story for the bereaved families and pay them compensation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Beep. The radio transmission ended. The man¡¯s previously expressionless face contorted with rage. ¨C Crunch, crack!! ¨C As he clenched his fist, the radio he was holding shattered. ¡°Guh-ack-ack-¡± The pilot, affected by the man¡¯s murderous intent, suddenly began to choke and struggle to breathe. The man then withdrew his aura. ¡°Ah, sorry. I didn¡¯t consider your presence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°A superior who doesn¡¯t take care of his subordinates, they¡¯ll get stabbed in the back. Take it.¡± With that, he handed the briefcase to the pilot. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a money bag, stuffed to the brim with cash. ¡°No, I can¡¯t accept this.¡± ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. Thank you, I¡¯ll accept it gratefully.¡± The pilot realized that the money in the briefcase was meant to keep his mouth shut. He understood that if he mentioned anything about the shark or the fisherman he just heard about, his life would be in danger. Wondering what the shark could be, the pilot quickly erased the thought from his mind, realizing his mistake. # Meanwhile, in Seoul. Hunter Association Asia Regional Headquarters, Director¡¯s Office. ¨C Bzzz ¨C The phone on his desk buzzed. The sharp-looking man sitting in the chair paused from processing documents and glanced at it. [ Choi Janghyuk ] It was Manager Choi. A perennial manager from Pohang calling the Asia Regional Director¡¯s phone was unusual. ¡°Yes, Janghyuk.¡± ¡°Yes, Director.¡± ¡°I told you to call me Sunwoo.¡± ¡°Alright, Sunwoo.¡± They both knew this was an unnatural scene, so they were pretending to be high school friends. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I managed to catch a break. Thank you.¡± He had conveyed the message to Yu Parang well. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. It¡¯s natural to help out when a friend¡¯s daughter is getting married.¡± Well done. ¡°So, when¡¯s the wedding?¡± ¡°Next Sunday, August 4th, at 2 PM.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Thanks. Sorry to take up your time. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s grab a drink sometime.¡± ¨C Click. ¨C The smile on the Director¡¯s face vanished, replaced by a cold, steely expression. Seo Sunwoo, the Asia Regional Director, stared ahead quietly. # And the cause of all these events happening around the world, Yu Parang. ¡°Brr, it¡¯s cold¡­¡± She popped out of the warp gate located in Wales, Alaska. ¡°Why did it have to be the Arctic, seriously¡­¡± Achoo. She sneezed once and quickly ran to dive into the sea with a splash. Chapter 13: Oceanos (1) Chapter 13: Oceanos (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 13 Pohang City, South Korea, where Parang resided, was nestled right next to the sea¡ªthe East Sea, as we commonly know it. Following the coastline northward through the Sea of Okhotsk, one would reach a sea bordered by Russia¡¯s Kamchatka Peninsula to the west, Alaska to the east, and the Aleutian Islands stretching southward in a curve. The Bering Sea. The northernmost part of the Pacific Ocean, it bordered the Arctic Ocean. The Bering Strait, a roughly 100km long channel, separated the Arctic Ocean from the Bering Sea, and it was here that the Arctic Ocean Point 3 was located. Parang had traveled to the warp gate in Wales, Alaska, and from there, moved to the 3km depth point in the Arctic Ocean. Given its location, the Bering Sea was incredibly cold. Parang turned the heating function of her diving suit to its maximum. Even then, it was still a bit chilly. The average depth of the Bering Strait was about 30-50 meters. Normally, it would be impossible to arrange a meeting at a 3km depth, but¡­ For some reason, the underwater topography of this world was entirely different from Earth¡¯s. The only similarity was the shallow West Sea and the deep East Sea around South Korea, which seemed coincidental. Parang didn¡¯t know the reason for this. In the middle of the Bering Strait in this world, there was a trench 3km deep. It looked more like a sinkhole than a trench, but for convenience, it was called the Bering Trench. As Parang swam diligently towards the meeting point, she spotted the Bering Trench. It looked as if someone had pressed a finger into the ground, creating an unnaturally sunken dark hole amidst the gentle plain. Standing on the seabed, Parang peered down into the trench. Darkness. The hole was so dark it felt almost alien. Bubbles were rising from the depths. Without hesitation, Parang dove into the hole as if diving into the sea once more. She descended rapidly, rapidly, rapidly. Of course, she encountered a few strange fish on the way, but she ignored them since she had urgent business. However, fate was unkind. Despite her frantic rush, Parang arrived last. And the world was harsh to those who came last. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ At the bottom of the Bering Trench, Parang looked ahead with an expression of sheer frustration. She was inside a prison. Not metaphorically, but literally a prison with iron bars. Still, being placed right in front of a hydrothermal vent made it warm and somewhat comfortable. No, it wasn¡¯t comfortable at all. Parang stomped her feet in frustration. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even late, I just arrived last!¡± Regardless, the five people outside the prison remained unmoved. There were six chairs arranged in a circle around the hydrothermal vent and one prison. Five people sat in the chairs, and one person was trapped in the prison. It felt like a hearing. ¡°Reflect on your actions.¡± A woman with long white hair dressed in a Soviet military uniform glared at Parang. Parang always wondered where she got that uniform. It was in pristine condition. ¡°Is that really something you should be saying?!¡± Parang was now waving her arms around in frustration. Seeing this, a muscular man next to her sighed. ¡°Parang, how many times have I told you to stop sleeping underwater? You¡¯re closer to the meeting point than I am, yet you always arrive late.¡± ¡°Aaagh¡­!!¡± In truth, they weren¡¯t genuinely angry. She wasn¡¯t actually late. Why would they be mad? It was just that they all took pride in their swimming speed, and teasing the person who arrived last had become a tradition. Parang also enjoyed teasing others when they were late. But this time, Parang felt genuinely wronged. ¡°It¡¯s because Elvira interfered!!¡± Parang pointed at the woman in the Soviet military uniform. It was true. Right after Parang had dived into the trench, Elvira had arrived and, ¡°Elvira? Oh¡­!!¡± ¨C Boom-!! ¨C ¡°Ouch!!¡± She had summoned a 5-meter diameter mine right in front of Parang, and while Parang was caught in the explosion, Elvira had taken the lead. ¡°Nyah-nyah.¡± She didn¡¯t forget to teabag either. ¡°Whether you were interfered with or not, late is late. You¡¯ll stay in there today.¡± The most fun thing in the world is teasing an angry person. It¡¯s even more fun when it¡¯s a close friend you¡¯ve known for years. A slender woman with short red hair sat with her legs crossed and spoke to Parang. Her bright red hair was so vivid that it was visible even underwater, making it look like her head was on fire. A black-haired girl with a bun hairstyle and wearing a black dress also chimed in. ¡°Vertea is right. If there¡¯s a mine in front of you, you should avoid it, right? I think Parang is at fault. How can a B-rank hunter get blocked by a C-rank?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She spoke fluent Korean, despite it not being her native language. Thanks to Hunter Han Siwoo, who wasn¡¯t particularly proud of it, Korean had become a global official language. This spared Parang the trouble of studying languages. ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re saying this because I teased you about your rank last time, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t be late.¡± Xiao never missed a chance to get a word in. She must have been really upset about being teased for being a D-rank last time. ¡°Alright, everyone has had their say. Let¡¯s get to the main point. Why did you call us here?¡± The woman with the short red hair, referred to as Vertea, spoke up. Strictly speaking, there was one person who hadn¡¯t spoken, but unfortunately, Diego couldn¡¯t speak underwater yet. Wearing a thick, deep-sea pressure suit, he could only nod his head regretfully. Anyway, they had gathered to work, so work they must. All eyes turned to Elvira, who had issued the summons. Parang, sensing the shift, bent the iron bars and took a seat. Thus, the six hunters gathered around the hydrothermal vent at the bottom of the Bering Trench began their meeting. # ¡°Some sperm whales have mutated again.¡± Elvira looked around at the group and spoke. Xiao rubbed her forehead at this news. Her reaction indicated annoyance. Parang also disliked hunting sperm whales. ¡°How many?¡± Parang crossed her legs. She seemed to relax a bit in front of this group. ¡°Six.¡± ¡°How do they always mutate in such perfect numbers, making it impossible to slack off?¡± Vertea half-closed her eyes and slouched. In contrast, Russell¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°What¡¯s their size?¡± Parang noticed that Russell¡¯s teeth were sharp like a shark¡¯s. It meant he was excited. ¡°Three are 300 meters, two are 450 meters, and one is 600 meters.¡± ¡°Not the worst. Let¡¯s draw lots.¡± Parang suggested. The reason for drawing lots was due to their long-standing tradition. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®not the worst¡¯? The fact that they¡¯re sperm whales already makes it the worst¡­¡± Vertea slouched even more in her seat, almost sliding off. Her legs dipped into the boiling hydrothermal vent, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. Instead, she stood up, sat on the edge of the vent, and dangled her legs into it. ¡°You¡¯re the one with a good match against sperm whales, so why are you complaining?¡± Elvira retorted. ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t care. I just want to go home and finish writing my book.¡± The book she referred to was a bestiary of strange fish. Over 80% of the currently known strange fish had been named by Vertea. Before her, these creatures were simply called long ones, big ones, or disgusting ones. But once Vertea named them, they became her responsibility. A classic case of biting the hand that feeds you. ¡°I agree. If I had known they were sperm whales, I wouldn¡¯t have come.¡± Xiao, looking fed up, stood up and kicked her chair away. The ground wriggled, and a few fish and human bones twisted together to form a grotesque sunbed. She lay down on it, looking like a tourist on vacation. Vertea, finding her previous position uncomfortable, fully submerged herself in the hydrothermal vent, leaving only her arms resting on the ground. In the deep blue abyss, the secret organization Oceanos, tasked with protecting the world, didn¡¯t feel like working. ¡°Let¡¯s just catch them quickly and get it over with. We¡¯re going to do it anyway, so why complain?¡± Elvira glared icily at Vertea and Xiao. ¡°Elvira¡¯s right. If it¡¯s a hassle, let¡¯s finish it quickly and go home.¡± Parang agreed. ¨C Thump-thump. ¨C Diego stomped his feet twice from his seat, signaling his agreement. ¡°I think the same. If it¡¯s going to be a hassle, let¡¯s finish it quickly and go home. I have a B-rank promotion exam tomorrow morning.¡± Based on her experience, Parang guessed that Russell was only half-telling the truth. He wasn¡¯t annoyed at all, he was probably excited and trying hard to hide it. But the part about the B-rank promotion exam was likely true. Four to two. The decision to hunt the sperm whales was passed. ¡°Since I won¡¯t be much help with sperm whales anyway, can I just go?¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Xiao¡¯s suggestion was immediately dismissed. And so, the much-anticipated drawing of lots began. Xiao pulled out six identical bones from the ground and inscribed numbers on them. ¡°If you mess with the lots like last time, you¡¯ll be assigned the 600-meter one without mercy.¡± Vertea glared at Xiao as if she would devour her. She must have been really upset about what happened last time. ¡°I¡¯m not going to.¡± The tension was palpable as they drew lots. Vertea, Russell, and Diego got the 300-meter ones, Xiao and Elvira got the 450-meter ones, and Parang got the 600-meter one. It was unfair, but there was nothing she could do. With the work discussion over, it was time for some casual conversation since they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a while. Xiao was the first to speak. ¡°Oh, right. Speaking of which.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her. ¡°I found an ¡®artifact.¡¯¡± ! Everyone¡¯s attention was immediately drawn. There was only one thing ¡®artifact¡¯ could refer to here. Hunter Han Siwoo. She was talking about the divine items he created. Naturally, from the day after his ascension, Oceanos had been searching for these artifacts. Xiao had been the fastest in the search, thanks to her abilities. ¡°Where is it? Whose is it? What kind of artifact?¡± Russell, excited, fired off questions rapidly. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s located in the deepest part of the ¡®Hive¡¯ in the South China Sea. I don¡¯t know whose it is or exactly what kind of artifact it is.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out once we retrieve and use it. Who¡¯s going to go?¡± Elvira¡¯s question hung in the air. Hunter Han Siwoo was a production hunter. Naturally, artifacts made by a production hunter who became a god were highly coveted. However, there was no dispute over who would go. Xiao¡¯s next statement made that clear. ¡°Only Parang can go. It¡¯s guarded by a ¡®starfish¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh. In that case.¡± Everyone fell silent, then nodded in agreement. ¡°Parang has to go.¡± ¡°Indeed. What a shame.¡± Everyone seemed to accept it, even Parang. ¡°I¡¯ll get there as soon as possible. Would tomorrow or the day after be okay?¡± ¡°Whenever is convenient for you. I have plenty of time.¡± As Xiao finished speaking, Elvira took her turn. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle that matter. Parang.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What happened with that broadcast?¡± ¡°Broadcast?¡± Russell looked at Elvira with a puzzled expression. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Vertea seemed to be aware. ¡°What broadcast?¡± Xiao was in the dark. Diego shook his head quietly. Elvira glared at the group. ¡°Can¡¯t you all show a bit more interest in each other¡¯s lives?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy with my own stuff. Why should I care about yours?¡± ¡°Xiao¡¯s right. Parang probably doesn¡¯t care about us either. Do you even know that Diego got his B-rank?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°See?¡± Russell grinned triumphantly at Elvira. ¡°So, what¡¯s this broadcast about? Did you make it to the news or something?¡± Vertea answered Xiao¡¯s question. ¡°He did a live broadcast underwater yesterday. He was hunting a Galecus.¡± Russell and Xiao squinted their eyes in curiosity. ¡°How did that happen?¡± Parang began to explain the whole story. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± After hearing the entire story, Russell and Xiao had opposite reactions. Xiao looked a bit skeptical, while Russell seemed impressed. The one with doubts usually speaks first. Xiao opened her mouth. ¡°Well, it seems like you know what you¡¯re doing, but from what you said, it sounds like you didn¡¯t use the Kraken. Was that intentional?¡± ¡°Yes. No matter what, showing that on a broadcast wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.¡± ¡°Why are you even doing broadcasts? Isn¡¯t it risky for people to see you not using the Kraken and misunderstand? You could have had Elvira or Xiao do it. They wouldn¡¯t have any issues being in the spotlight, and they¡¯re more entertaining to watch.¡± ¡°Would they do it if asked?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Elvira and Xiao nodded simultaneously. ¡°See, they wouldn¡¯t do it anyway¡­ Oh.¡± Parang suddenly remembered something and addressed everyone. ¡°You guys need to come to Korea soon.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The statues. They¡¯ve surfaced again.¡± The atmosphere instantly turned icy. ¡°Oh, that? Got it.¡± Elvira responded nonchalantly. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t we destroy all of them last time?¡± Russell looked surprised. ¡°We thought so, but it seems some were left behind.¡± ¡°Ha, so some remained. Those damn bastards¡­¡± Xiao gritted her teeth. ¡°We can¡¯t miss out on hunting those cursed stones.¡± Veins bulged on Vertea¡¯s forehead. ¡°If you saw them, you should have called us immediately. The sperm whales aren¡¯t the real issue here.¡± Even Elvira¡¯s voice now carried an unmistakable anger. ¡°I saw them last night.¡± ¡°Alright, we understand. If it¡¯s about the statues, we¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know the time. It¡¯s frustrating that we can¡¯t catch them ourselves.¡± ¡°Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.¡± Xiao, for once, said something that Parang found comforting, surprising her. ¡°Let¡¯s track them to their habitat and destroy everything.¡± Russell¡¯s eyes seemed to burn with determination. ¡°This time, we¡¯ll obliterate them completely and pour a drink at Alice¡¯s grave.¡± At Vertea¡¯s words, all six members of Oceanos fell silent. Just thinking about that cursed monstrosity made their blood boil. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s that, and the whales are still the whales. How about a bet for old times¡¯ sake?¡± Parang tried to lighten the mood by changing the subject. Xiao immediately took the bait. ¡°The loser buys drinks. Sound good?¡± ¡°Xiao, that sounds like you¡¯re volunteering to buy.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die than hear that from you, Vertea.¡± Reading the room, the six members of Oceanos exchanged glances. ¡°Chukchi Ridge. Let¡¯s go.¡± With Elvira¡¯s words, their eyes gleamed, and then, ¨C whoosh!! ¨C They all shot up from the trench floor like bullets. The only thing left in the midst of the scattered chairs was the hydrothermal vent, still spewing boiling water. Illustration of Yu Parang Name: Yu Parang Residence: South Korea Personal Skill: Daugther of the Kraken (S) Illustration of Vertea Fabron Name: Vertea Fabron Residence: France Personal Skill: ??? Illustration of Xiao Name: Xiao Residence: Hongkong Personal Skill: Ghost Captain (S) Illustration of Elvira Petrov Name:Elvira Petrov Residence: Russia Personal Skill: ??? Illustration of Russell Bright Name: Russell Bright Residence: Hawaii Personal Skill: ??? Illustration of Diego Lopez Martin N/A Name: Diego Lopez Martin Residence: Mexico Personal Skill: ??? Chapter 14: Oceanos (2) Chapter 14: Oceanos (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 14 Swimming about 470 kilometers north from the Bering Strait leads to the Chukchi Sea. This area is truly part of the Arctic Ocean, where for six months of the year, the surface is covered with ice, making navigation impossible. Of course, this is irrelevant to Oceanos, who move underwater regardless of ice. Like the Bering Strait, the Chukchi Sea in this world is vastly different from Earth¡¯s oceans. On Earth, about 56% of the Chukchi Sea is less than 50 meters deep, but in this world, the entire Chukchi Sea has depths exceeding 10 kilometers. Considering that the deepest part of Earth¡¯s Mariana Trench is 11 kilometers, this is almost absurd. At a depth of 5 kilometers, in the endless abyss, ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡­ There, six mutated sperm whales swam leisurely¡ªthough due to their overwhelming size, it was almost as if they were stationary¡ªwhen the six members of Oceanos appeared before them. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­!¡± Vertea, the last to arrive. ¡°Did you guys use up all your energy swimming here? I¡¯m really tired of this.¡± ¡°Who cares about the words of a loser¡­ Huff¡­ I don¡¯t want to hear it¡­ Haah¡­¡± ¡°Catch your breath while you talk. You and Vertea were only a few seconds apart.¡± Russell teased Elvira, who looked like she was about to collapse. ¡°Let¡¯s catch them quickly and go home. I¡¯m getting tired.¡± Parang stretched, clearly showing her reluctance. ¡°I plan to finish this quickly too. I¡¯m going first!¡± Russell, unable to hold back any longer, surged forward. Parang glanced to her side and saw Diego silently heading towards his assigned whale. ¡°Whoever finishes first can go home immediately.¡± Elvira, having caught her breath, shot towards her whale. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang then turned to Xiao. ¡°Oh, Parang.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you going to swim all the way to Hong Kong?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± ¡°Of course, my foot¡­ Anyway, if you¡¯re swimming, can you take care of those things on the way?¡± ¡°Oh, those?¡± She was referring to the three special objects located on the route from Pohang to Hong Kong. Parang found herself suddenly burdened with extra tasks. Given the nature of the request, it wasn¡¯t something she could refuse without compensation. Maybe she could even stream the journey. ¨C Whoosh. ¨C While Parang was lost in thought, Xiao also charged towards her whale. Vertea had already disappeared. She needed to finish quickly and get home for some rest. Parang swam towards the largest whale. # Russell Bright. ¡°Hahaha!! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve hunted a sperm whale!! Nice to see you, you bastard!!¡± He was in high spirits. It had been a while since he faced his favorite prey, the sperm whale. As soon as he received Elvira¡¯s call, he had rushed over, hoping it would be a sperm whale. Though it was a bit disappointing that he got the smallest one at 300 meters, rules were rules. Despite his enthusiastic greeting, the 300-meter sperm whale remained silent. The Empire State Building stands at 381 meters tall. It was like a human fighting a building. Moreover, the strength of a mutated sperm whale didn¡¯t come from its size alone. But that didn¡¯t matter to Russell. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun today, you whale bastard!¡± His eyes turned yellow, glowing with a flickering light. His teeth transformed into sharp, triangular shark teeth, a shark¡¯s tail grew from his tailbone, and a dorsal fin sprouted from his back. He charged at the whale and took a huge bite out of its body. ¨C Crunch! ¨C The piece of whale meat in his mouth wriggled, trying to reattach to its original body¡ª ¨C Gulp ¨C But Russell ignored it and chewed it up, swallowing it. He felt a brief wriggling sensation in his stomach, but it soon disappeared. On the 300-meter-long whale, there was now a 5-centimeter bite mark. The whale continued to swim leisurely, as if nothing had happened. However, ¨C Crunch! ¨C The spot where Russell had bitten suddenly developed a U-shaped bite mark, as if an invisible force had bitten it again. ¨C Crunch! ¨C And then again. Increasingly more. One became two, two became four, four became eight, eight became sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, one hundred twenty-eight. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!!! The whale, sensing something was wrong, tried to reattach its severed pieces, but it was futile. In essence, Russell was the whale¡¯s natural enemy. The bite marks multiplied to 1024, then 2048. Countless invisible sharks swarmed the whale, ravaging it. Fins, tail, brain, eyes, lungs, ribs, intestines, heart. The ravenous, transparent sharks bit indiscriminately, from front to back, left to right, inside and out, all at once. Before long, half of the whale¡¯s body was stripped down to the bone, leaving nothing but a gruesome mess. Now, the whale, riddled with holes and resembling a zombie, sprayed blood everywhere. And then, the final bite. ¨C Crunch!!! ¨C Thus, the whale vanished. Russell, satisfied, patted his stomach and headed back to his home in Hawaii. # ¡°¡­¡­¡± Diego Lopez Martin. He stared at the whale before him. The iron bars of his diving suit¡¯s faceplate formed a grid pattern. Through the gaps, the whale appeared monstrously large. A creature measuring 300 meters. This was a size not permitted for living beings. It was more like a battleship. It felt like watching a battleship navigate underwater. But Diego decided to accept it as it was. A size not permitted for living beings. The thought amused him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Diego hunched over briefly, then stretched out. ¨C Ssssss ¨C His body and diving suit began to grow. From the original 1.8 meters to 5 meters, 10 meters, 50 meters, 100 meters¡­. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!!!!!¡± He roared beneath the massive hunk of metal. Though his words were inaudible, it was clear he was roaring. ¡°¡­.¡± His gigantification completed. Final height: 500 meters. Now, to Diego, the 300-meter whale was like a 120-centimeter fish. He spread his arms and grabbed the whale by both ends. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!!!!! With a resounding crack, Diego snapped the sperm whale in half. The front and back halves of the whale struggled desperately to reattach themselves. If there had been a wall or floor nearby, he would have buried each half separately. Unfortunately, after scouting the area, he found no such structures. With no other choice, Diego carried the split whale to a spot where the seabed was visible. He dug a hole and buried one half, then traveled about 100 kilometers to bury the other half. Satisfied, he returned to his home in Mexico. # ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Elvira Petrov squinted at the 450-meter whale before her. She couldn¡¯t take in the entire whale with her eyes. It was like standing at the base of a mountain and being unable to see its peak. The whale was absurdly large, and its flesh, when torn off, would automatically try to reattach itself¡ªa trait she found incredibly annoying. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a fish, but it was certainly a bothersome creature. Still, she had a job to do. Standing in the water, she extended her hand, causing numerous mines to appear around the whale. These were not ordinary mines; they were packed with explosives and enhanced with her skills. They could easily destroy a battleship in one blast. Dozens of these mines, each with a radius of 7 meters and shaped like massive sea urchins, surrounded the whale. Then, one detonated with a bang, blowing off half of the whale¡¯s right fin. The explosion triggered the nearby mines, causing the whale¡¯s abdomen to burst, scattering shredded flesh. ¨C Bang, bang, bang, bang. ¨C Before long, the whale was torn apart by the explosions, its original form unrecognizable. The pink chunks of flesh and red blood spread throughout the water, the only evidence that a living creature had been there. Then, the pieces of flesh began to wriggle and gather. They were reassembling to form the whale again. This was why Elvira despised sperm whales. She could have asked for help from other Oceanos members, but she absolutely refused to do so. So, she simply detonated a small nuclear mine at the center of the meat pile. No one was there to scold her with, ¡°How dangerous is radiation!¡± Water pollution? Marine ecosystem? Such concerns had long become trivial jokes. Although Elvira wasn¡¯t exactly walking through a desert, the radiation spread through the water, destroying the chunks of meat at the cellular level. Eventually, the pieces of meat stopped wriggling and fused into a pink mass, sinking to the depths of the ocean. Soon, it would likely become food for other monstrous fish. Elvira then returned to her home in Siberia. # Vertea Fabron. She had no particular thoughts. When it came to sperm whales, she had a surefire method to deal with them. She wanted to finish quickly and go home. She moved at a terrifying speed to the underside of the whale¡¯s front, placing her hand on its lower jaw. ¨C Ssssss ¨C The sound of sizzling meat accompanied the bubbling water where Vertea¡¯s hand touched. It was boiling. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!!!!! The whale thrashed in agony, but it couldn¡¯t shake her off. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!!!!! Realizing the danger, the whale tried to suck in water, but it was too late. The whale¡¯s skull was located between its eyes, at the lower part of its head. It was as if a human had a brain inside their lower jaw. Five minutes later, the light vanished from the whale¡¯s eyes, and it sank motionless. The extreme heat had melted or burned all the vital organs inside its head. Regeneration was useless in this case. It wasn¡¯t a matter of tissue loss. Vertea yawned lazily and returned to her home in France. She was the fastest. # ¡°Ugh, seriously!! Why does it have to be a whale!!¡± Xiao grumbled at the whale. Not that it would die on its own, but still. Whales were her worst matchup. The regeneration that others found troublesome wasn¡¯t the issue. It was the overwhelming size that was the problem. Xiao wasn¡¯t suited for hunting gigantic fish. Maybe if it were a numbers game. Still, she had to try. ¡°Haaaaaah!!!¡± As she let out a battle cry, her eyes glowed with a purple light. A rumbling sound came from the depths below. Soon, the source of the rumbling revealed itself. The ground. A piece of land, roughly the size of a soccer field, rose up to where Xiao stood. It looked as if someone had grabbed it and pulled it up, giving it an unnatural appearance. Then, with a crunching sound, the ground split open. From within, an eerie, pale turquoise light emanated. ¡°Kekekekekeke-!¡± ¨C Clatter, clatter. ¨C Bones crawled out from the opened ground. They didn¡¯t resemble human forms. They were just roughly straight torsos with four long bones attached as limbs. Xiao didn¡¯t know much about human anatomy or bone structure. Nor did she want to. The bones that emerged from the ground swam towards the sperm whale. Their numbers reached into the hundreds, then thousands. And then, slash, crunch, stab. The bones cut, crushed, and pierced the whale, each grabbing a handful of flesh and retreating into the open ground. As one bone entered, another emerged to tear more flesh from the whale. The whale thrashed and roared in agony, but it didn¡¯t stop the relentless assault. After a long while, the whale lost all its organs and flesh, leaving only its skeleton. ¡°Enter.¡± At Xiao¡¯s command, the whale¡¯s bones swam into the open ground. ¨C Rumble ¨C The ground closed up and sank back into the endless abyss. Xiao then returned to her home in Hong Kong. She was the last to finish. # ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !! Parang stared at the sperm whale. She simply stood there, looking at it. Then, she extended her hand. ¡°Kraken.¡± Parang¡¯s blue hair transformed into tentacles, resembling those of an octopus. Her ears turned into fins, and her eyes gained vertical pupils. Parang disliked using this ability. It always reminded her of that time. ¡°Parang, Parang!!!¡± What if she had been stronger back then? Parang shook her head to dispel her thoughts. She needed to finish quickly and get some rest. By her side, enormous blue tentacles had appeared. It was unclear where they began or how they got there. The tentacles had a bizarre appearance. Some split into two, others into three or four, some split again after splitting, and some grew sideways. A notification appeared before the other five members of Oceanos. [Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is currently active.] This was why Parang never summoned the Kraken during broadcasts. Parang extended her hand with an expressionless face. The tentacles lunged at the 600-meter-long sperm whale, wrapping around it. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!! ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª !!! ¡ª ¡ª !!!! The whale thrashed in agony. But the tentacles continued to envelop the whale. Before long, the tentacles completely covered the whale. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡­ The whale¡¯s cries ceased. The whale was no longer a whale. It had become part of the tentacles and disappeared along with them. The tentacles seemed to have more splits and attachments than when they first appeared. Kraken. A monstrous entity that turns any life it touches into part of itself. Parang¡¯s skill, ¡®Daughter of the Kraken,¡¯ allowed her to summon and use the Kraken¡¯s tentacles. Whether the absorbed entities strengthened the Kraken was unknown. Parang had never seen or met the Kraken. She didn¡¯t know where it was or if it even existed. She didn¡¯t know what kind of entity it was or why it lent her its power. Was it because she was truly its daughter, as the skill name suggested, or was there another purpose? But not knowing didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t use the power. If she didn¡¯t deal with the sperm whale now, they would reproduce. Even leaving just one could result in an undying plague roaming the seas. She had no hesitation in eradicating such threats. So, what could she do but ask for help from this mysterious entity? And the entity did provide significant help. In the ocean, all life with cells was under Parang¡¯s control. The whale vanished, as if it had never been there. Parang returned to her home in South Korea. ¡°Wait!! You bastards!! Alice!!!! Aaaah!!!!!!¡± That night, Parang had a dream. She woke up feeling utterly miserable. Chapter 15: To Hong Kong (1) Chapter 15: To Hong Kong (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 15 ¡°Ugh¡­¡± On July 29th, at 10 AM, Parang woke up. She had dreamt of that day again after a long time. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Her head throbbed. No matter how much she usually slept, this never happened. It must have been because of that dream. Parang staggered to drink a cup of cold water. ¨C Gulp¡ª Gulp ¨C ¡°Ah¡­¡± The cool water made her feel a bit better. She noticed the calendar hanging on the opposite wall. Unlike before, when she focused solely on leisure, Parang had suddenly become very busy. She grabbed a marker and started organizing her schedule on the calendar. First, a trip to Hong Kong. She needed to visit Xiao to pick up some items. After that, she had to discuss collaboration with Hunter Shin Yuna, visit the orphanage, and then¡­ Sunday. In the afternoon, she had to go to the Hunter Association, and in the evening, meet with the World Government. But could she really make it to both? Considering the relationship between the two, it wasn¡¯t likely a coordinated effort. More likely, they were forcing her to choose one. Despite sharing the same roots, they had a terrible relationship. Rumors even suggested they occasionally sent assassins after each other. Ideally, she wouldn¡¯t want to go to either. They were both such shady organizations. Still, she felt more inclined towards the Association, where she had acquaintances. She owed a lot to Manager Choi. Anyway, after visiting the Association, she had an interview on Tuesday. She was incredibly busy. When would she have time to broadcast again? ¡°Hmm?¡± Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. Parang was quick to make decisions. She immediately called Yuna. ¡°Hello? Ah, I have an idea for the next broadcast¡­¡± ¡°How about we try this approach¡­¡± After a few exchanges, the call ended. A little while later, a file was sent to Parang¡¯s phone. After running it and installing it on her phone, she tapped the cute fish-shaped app icon. Buttons for starting and ending the broadcast, muting, and screen blackout appeared. Now, Parang could control Yuna¡¯s studio broadcasting equipment from her phone. She had to be cautious, though, as her phone wouldn¡¯t work 4 kilometers underwater. Parang gathered her things and dove into the sea. No need to bring a passport. Under the World Government, the globe was one, a true ¡°We Are the World.¡± It¡¯s not like you go through immigration checks traveling from Seoul to Incheon. Soon after, the internet went wild. (A screenshot of Parang¡¯s broadcast. The title simply reads ¡®Swimming to Hong Kong.¡¯) ??????Hong?????Kong????Really?????? ©¤What? ©¤ ¡°Let¡¯s go to Hong Kong¡± is 20,000% likely ? ¡°Let¡¯s swim while we¡¯re at it¡± is 50,000% likely ? It¡¯s scary because it seems so true It really was. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. # ©¤What? All the viewers shared the same sentiment. It was exactly what they wanted to say. ¡°What?¡± What do you mean? Question marks filled the chat non-stop. ©¤Why Hong Kong? ©¤Where is this? ©¤Why did the last broadcast end like that? ©¤Teacher, I really need an artifact¡­ It was utter chaos. Even Parang frowned. Seriously, begging for artifacts here too? And it wasn¡¯t just one or two, it made up about 70% of the chat. Unbeknownst to Parang, the atmosphere was similar during her first broadcast. She was just too nervous to notice. Those who poured out their life stories while begging for artifacts were swiftly banned by Yuna and the broadcast team. But Parang didn¡¯t know how to do that. So she just issued a stern warning. ¡°Talking about artifacts is useless with me. From now on, anyone who mentions artifacts will be permanently excluded from any future lotteries.¡± Her confidence soared underwater. A brief silence ensued to let the situation settle. After a moment, the chat stopped mentioning artifacts. Satisfied, Parang continued the broadcast. ©¤Teacher, so what¡¯s this about Hong Kong? ©¤And where are we now?? ¡°I¡¯m going to Hong Kong to meet someone. We¡¯re currently off the coast of Pohang. I¡¯ll be swimming to Hong Kong, and the broadcast will end upon arrival.¡± ©¤Summary: ¡°Let¡¯s just go to Hong Kong?¡± ©¤Hahahahaha The viewers entered ¡°just go with it¡± mode. They were used to it by now. ©¤So what are you going to show us today? Her shoulders straightened. What would she show them? Of course, something absolutely amazing. It was time to return as the ruthless monster slayer, Yu Parang. ¡°There are three objects I need to check periodically on the way to Hong Kong. There¡¯s a high probability that dangerous monsters have taken residence there, so I¡¯ll be hunting them.¡± ©¤¡¯Gangmolip¡¯ donated 6000 won! ¨C ¡°There will definitely be some. In the barren monster layer, objects are the only places where monsters can settle. While there might be objects without monsters, there are no monsters without objects.¡± Parang unfurled a map before her. She had hurriedly brought it from home for the broadcast. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ll follow this route, passing three objects and hunting three deep-sea monsters before arriving in Hong Kong. The estimated broadcast time is around 24 hours.¡± ©¤Wait, that distance? ©¤How far is that? ©¤It takes 7 hours by plane. In a straight line. ©¤What the hell??? ©¤¡¯Lee Yong-gyu¡¯ donated 4000 won! ¨C ¡°It¡¯s a bit tough, but doable. I always take this route when going to Hong Kong.¡± ©¤I told you, just enjoy the show. ©¤Is this person a monster? ©¤Correct Parang was slightly irked. ¡°Whoever just called me a monster will be permanently banned.¡± ©¤Gasp ©¤Oh no ©¤Goodbye This marked the birth of the first rule in Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast. ¡°Enough chit-chat. Let¡¯s get started. My schedule isn¡¯t exactly flexible.¡± Parang sliced through the water with ease. # [Current Depth: 3319m] ???? The sound of Parang swimming was objectively quite pleasant. The gentle swishing of water was often compared to flowing water ASMR. Many viewers kept Parang¡¯s broadcast on like a radio, with the main topic being, of course, monster hunting stories. ¡°¡­So when you encounter a Morpha-type monster, it¡¯s safer to position yourself behind it. Conversely, for Serpent-types¡­¡± ©¤Teacher, even with such advice, this humble viewer can¡¯t put it into practice. ¡°Then I suggest you avoid diving.¡± ©¤WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF what was that black thing that just passed by, it was super long and wriggling ©¤WTF I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not the only one who saw it The occasional cameo appearances of monsters added a unique flavor to the broadcast. At depths of 3 kilometers, finding fish-shaped creatures became increasingly rare. ¡°¡®Why did the last broadcast end so abruptly?¡¯ This is the 898,259,352nd time I¡¯ve been asked. The camera¡¯s battery was almost dead, so I had to end it quickly. This time, I brought a proper charger, so there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡± The route Parang was currently following avoided all the major danger zones in the Pacific Ocean, effectively making it a safe travel path for hunters. Barring any major surprises, there shouldn¡¯t be any need to cut the broadcast before reaching Hong Kong. ©¤Was that an object just now? Not only monsters but also objects occasionally drifted by. In fact, objects were quite common in the monster layer, though monsters were even more so. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s probably a monster inside that object too.¡± ©¤Is it okay not to hunt that one? ©¤It really looks out of place. ¡°Normally, we should hunt that one too. But I¡¯m in a hurry, so I¡¯m just passing by.¡± ©¤¡¯aNiMotD¡¯ donated 4000 won! ¨C ¡°Some objects cause the monsters that settle in them to grow significantly. If left alone, they can become uncontrollable, so we periodically hunt the monsters that settle there.¡± ©¤But how do you tell them apart? ¡°Hmm, they look quite grotesque.¡± ©¤How are we supposed to know from that? ©¤But if she says it¡¯s grotesque, it must be really grotesque. ©¤I¡¯m getting scared. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡± ©¤? What else could she say? That was the best explanation she could give. About six hours passed. The viewers finally understood what she meant. ¡°See? I told you you¡¯d know when you saw it.¡± ©¤Yeah, I get it now. ©¤That looks really ominous. ©¤Teacher, can we just skip that? It¡¯s terrifying. ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡± The object they encountered was a ¡®cube.¡¯ A perfectly square cube, 20 meters on each side. However, each of the six faces was covered with rows and columns of faces. Yes, human faces. Exactly what you¡¯re thinking. Eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and even the blemishes and pores on the skin were all rendered in 2-meter by 2-meter faces, twenty-five per face. The empty eye sockets made it even more grotesque. ¡°This is the ¡®East China Sea Object No. 1.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what else to call it, so that¡¯s its name.¡± ©¤Makes sense. ©¤Why the hell is something like that in the ocean? ©¤Wait, did something just move? The chat was right. Something was definitely wriggling inside the already repulsive object. ©¤Is it like an eel or something? ©¤Seems like it. ©¤That¡¯s so disgusting. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t an eel. ¡°It¡¯s called a Makula. It might look a bit disgusting to you.¡± A bit is an understatement. The Makula is a serpent-type monster about 60 meters long. Other serpent-type monsters include Bellua and Galecus. Long, flexible, and wriggly creatures generally fall into this category. Due to the lack of researchers, the classification system is somewhat primitive. The current system was developed by Vertea Fabron. Makula is the epitome of serpent-type monsters. It¡¯s long, flexible, and constantly wriggling. Not by choice, though. All its muscles are concentrated in its mouth, leaving the rest of its body without muscles. It¡¯s essentially a sack. So, its body flutters and sways with the water currents, making it look even more grotesque. ©¤¡¯Sky Letter¡¯ donated 25000 won! ¨C ¡°I can¡¯t. There¡¯s still more to explain. Besides, Makula detects prey through vibrations, so it doesn¡¯t even have eyes.¡± ©¤Can¡¯t you explain while fighting it, teacher? Please. ¡°If you insist¡­¡± Parang clicked her tongue in disappointment. Indeed, as the viewer said, Makula looked disgusting wherever it settled. Makula, which lives in hollow spaces with many holes, constantly seeks out and enters nearby holes. And unfortunately for the viewers, the holes Makula constantly entered and exited were the orifices of the faces on the cube. It would enter through a mouth, exit through an ear on the left face, then enter an eye socket on the top face. It was like watching a grotesque sewing process, with Makula wriggling and slithering from hole to hole. ¡°Fighting it might make it look even more disgusting.¡± ©¤What? ©¤Wait a minute. ©¤??? Before the viewers could express their confusion, Parang slipped into the mouth of one of the faces in front of her. Inside the object, narrow passages twisted and turned like a maze. The only light came from Parang¡¯s flashlight. Beyond the walls, strange gurgling noises and vibrations suggested something large was crawling around. The claustrophobic environment was enough to induce a sense of confinement even in those who didn¡¯t normally suffer from it. The frequency of chat messages noticeably decreased. ©¤OMG Sparse comments expressing fear. The rest of the viewers were either frozen in terror or had turned off the broadcast, unable to endure it. Parang¡¯s strategy was a success. Those who couldn¡¯t bear it and turned off the broadcast would likely recall today¡¯s image whenever they thought of diving into the ocean. But Parang had no intention of stopping there. ¨C Bubbling- Parang created a small air bubble, ¨C Pop ¨C and burst it. A faint vibration. Immediately, the vibrations that had been reverberating through the entire object ceased. An eerie silence. Parang knew what that silence meant. The creature had pinpointed her location. It wouldn¡¯t take long. And about three seconds later. ¨C Rumble ¨C ¨C Screeeeech!!! ¨C Something enormous began to crawl towards Parang at an incredible speed from the other end of the passage, emitting a sound similar to a scream. Something suddenly emerged from the dark passage. ©¤Aaaahhh! ©¤What the hell is that? ©¤Oh my god, this is insane! Makula had no head or eyes. It was just a long, snake-like body with a mouth. Parang turned the camera towards Makula and began swimming down the passage. ¡°Can you see it well? It¡¯s much easier to explain Makula¡¯s mouth while looking at it directly.¡± ©¤Yes, we can see it. ©¤I can¡¯t take it anymore, goodbye. ©¤This is my limit too, it¡¯s too disgusting to watch. Makula filled the 1-meter diameter passage completely, chasing Parang. It twisted and turned to fit the passage¡¯s bends. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, Makula prefers ¡®environments with many holes and hollow spaces.¡¯ However, such objects are very rare, so unless it¡¯s a giant specimen like this, it usually burrows into the bodies of other monsters and lives inside them.¡± Makula¡¯s grotesque form, constantly wriggling and slithering through the passage, was enough to make even the bravest viewers shudder. Parang continued swimming through the narrow passage. Occasionally, Makula¡¯s body blocked the way, and there were forks in the path, but she navigated through them as if she knew the way. ¡°Makula¡¯s mouth is designed to burrow into tough scales or shells.¡± Makula resembled a long sack. Its gaping, toothless mouth revealed only dark red flesh, while sharp, spider-leg-like teeth lined the outer rim. ¡°It uses those teeth to latch onto another monster¡¯s skin, cutting it and pulling the flesh inside. This way, it makes its home inside the monster¡¯s body. You usually find them inside enormous whales.¡± ©¤WTF, stop explaining and look behind you! ©¤Oh my god, what¡¯s that inside its mouth? ©¤Indeed, Makula was now right behind Parang. Thanks to the flashlight on the camera, viewers could see deep into Makula¡¯s mouth. It felt like being a dentist. The dark red flesh quivered, along with chunks of meat and mucus clinging inside. It was a grotesque sight, akin to a horror scene. The number of viewers had dropped by nearly half. Still, 23,000 remained. ©¤It¡¯s amazing this isn¡¯t getting flagged. ©¤Didn¡¯t Silo get flagged and shut down for less? ¡°Hmm, flagged¡­¡± Parang was a bit puzzled. She hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of the broadcast being flagged. Well, she¡¯d think about it later. She felt she had shown enough of Makula. ¡°Did you all enjoy your time with Makula?¡± ©¤No. ©¤Yes, I had a really shitty time ^^ ©¤Teacher, give me your home address. ©¤Are we supposed to be enjoying this? ©¤She broadcasts just to mess with us, doesn¡¯t she? ¡°No way. How could I do that to my precious viewers?¡± Parang¡¯s smile reached her ears. Chapter 16: To Hong Kong (2) Chapter 16: To Hong Kong (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 16 ¨C Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!! ¨C ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a bit disgusting.¡± Unlike with Force, subduing Makula was surprisingly simple. Parang threw a water bubble into its mouth, and Makula swallowed it, causing its insides to burst and die. In fact, if hunting was the only goal, she could have just thrown bubbles into every hole inside the object. Both Parang and the viewers knew why she didn¡¯t do that, and so did the now-dead Makula. Parang retrieved the teeth from Makula¡¯s mashed-up corpse. ©¤Why didn¡¯t she just use Shururu? ©¤Right? Didn¡¯t it come out of the gate? ©¤Oh, no way. It was true. ¡°Makula was actually a creature that existed on Earth. It mutated due to the influence of the gate.¡± Parang said nonchalantly. It wasn¡¯t that she was disinterested in the broadcast. It was just that the dream she had last night was terrible. Normally, she would have been fine, but since she started, her head had been throbbing, and now it was almost unbearable. Even Parang would get very tired if she swam non-stop for 24 hours under this level of stress without transforming. ¡°Hmm, everyone. I think I¡¯m more tired than I thought. I¡¯ll start the next broadcast when I reach the next object. Goodbye for now.¡± ©¤Teacher, are you leaving so suddenly again? ©¤You said you wouldn¡¯t end the broadcast abruptly this time!! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just want to take a nap. What would you gain from watching me sleep?¡± ©¤A lot, actually. ©¤Please do a sleep stream. ©¤Host!!! I need you!!! ¡°No.¡± ¨C Click. ¨C The broadcast ended. Honestly, she wanted to keep it on until the end, but sleeping in front of others was a bit too much. Parang swam smoothly through the water. Her head was still throbbing. Fortunately, there was a place nearby where she liked to rest during times like this. # Pitch black, darkness, the abyss. Parang arrived in a space that could be called by any of these names. It was an underwater cave. Currently, the depth was 3 kilometers. Not exactly the perfect depth for sleeping¡­ but still. This was Parang¡¯s favorite resting place. Whenever she swam to Hong Kong, she always used this spot. This area was devoid of carnivorous monsters. Not even the common Bellua could be found here. Because another monster tightly controlled this cave. ¨C Boooong¡ª Boooong. ¨C Parang lay down on the cap of a giant jellyfish. It was a monster called Aurita. The species, known as the moon jellyfish, had mutated under the influence of the gate. They lived in groups in dark sections at depths greater than 2.5 kilometers. They weren¡¯t particularly carnivorous, and lying on them felt soft and bouncy. Moreover, they glowed in the pitch-black water. As Parang lay down, it felt like the universe was unfolding before her eyes. Countless jellyfish sparkled like stars, above, below, and all around. The soft, jelly-like stars wobbled gently. Their temperament was relaxed and docile, moving only about 5 centimeters per hour. This was the same as the original species. The reason they weren¡¯t eaten by other species was that they emitted a potent toxin from their entire body, coloring the space around them. Most monsters couldn¡¯t last more than 30 seconds in Aurita¡¯s territory. [Skill, ¡®Clear Mirror Still Water¡¯ is activated.] This didn¡¯t concern Parang, who swam like a human water purifier. Lying on the cozy jellyfish, Parang closed her eyes¡­ and then opened them again. She saw something very out of place floating among the glowing jellyfish. It was a monster Parang had never seen before. This wasn¡¯t surprising. New species of monsters were discovered almost daily. A species that could withstand Aurita¡¯s toxin? There could be one. However, its appearance was too bizarre. ¡­¡­ Parang stared at it, floating silently in the water. Its shape was hard to describe. T? No, since the length above and below was almost the same, it would be more accurate to call it a ? shape. At the center of its body, where the horizontal and vertical lines met, was a giant eyeball. Comparing it to the jellyfish next to it, it was about 10 meters tall and 20 meters wide. Not particularly large for a monster. Parang approached closer. This time, she could see the monster¡¯s appearance in more detail. Its body was made of bright red flesh, whether muscle or meat. On closer inspection, it resembled coral or anemone. Parang took a quick photo. She sent it to Vertea. Whatever it was, she¡¯d figure it out. ¨C Srrr. ¨C Parang then got right up close to the unidentified monster. Its eyeball didn¡¯t move, and even when she moved within arm¡¯s reach, it showed no reaction. It didn¡¯t seem to detect vibrations or heat. So, Parang reached out and poked it. ¨C Slur. ¨C ¨C Whirr. ¨C The eye moved to look at Parang. It was surprising, but Parang didn¡¯t flinch. She¡¯d been through too much to be startled by something like this. More surprising was the texture of this mysterious ?-shaped monster. It was hard and rough, and red powder stuck to her suit¡¯s glove. The closest comparison would be¡­ chalk or stone? Well, she¡¯d find out by killing it. Parang created a bubble, popped it, and quickly moved up to stab a harpoon into its eye. Since the eyeball was focused solely on Parang, the harpoon hit dead center. ¨C Splat¡ª! ¨C Blood spurted out, almost splashing Parang, but then it vanished. And the monster sank. Parang realized three things. First, if this monster had come from a gate, it should have disappeared in a flash of light, leaving behind a magic stone. But it didn¡¯t. Second, this meant the creature was already an Earthly life form. But did such a creature exist in the deep sea? Well, it was probably one of those types. It looked bizarre enough. It felt more awkward to call it a living creature than just disgusting. Third, what should she eat in Hong Kong? This was just to make it three things. Three is perfect. Heaven, Earth, and Man; Up, Down, and Center; Past, Present, and Future. There was something unsettling about it, but monsters were inherently collections of unsettling things. Parang didn¡¯t give it much thought. She grabbed a jellyfish nearby and fell into a deep sleep. # Some time later. [LIVE ¨C Swimming to Hong Kong] Parang¡¯s broadcast turned on. ©¤Me ©¤Me ©¤Rock ©¤Me ©¤Rock ©¤Rock ¡°After a good sleep, I feel refreshed. Let¡¯s get going again.¡± Underwater, Parang¡¯s mindset was invincible. No one navigated their path better than she did. She was the embodiment of ¡°my way.¡± ¡°The second monster I¡¯m going to catch isn¡¯t that disgusting.¡± This was true. The one she was heading to now wasn¡¯t particularly gross. ©¤Finally ©¤I don¡¯t believe it ©¤Does anyone believe this? ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s true. Look.¡± With a sound of ¡°eish,¡± Parang quickly rotated the camera. The screen, which had been dark blue, now showed a massive black shape. ¡°This is the one I¡¯m going to catch this time.¡± ©¤Oh, damn, that scared me ©¤? What is it? ©¤Right? What is that? ¡°Hmm, ah. It¡¯s too close. I¡¯ll back up a bit to show you.¡± As she said this, Parang retreated at an incredible speed¡­. ¡°Ta-da, everyone. It¡¯s a Rassius.¡± ©¤Uh¡­ ©¤Hmm¡­ ©¤Um¡­ The chat was conflicted. The reason was simple. If it was disgusting, they could curse and say, ¡°Teacher, are you crazy again?¡± If it wasn¡¯t, they could shout, ¡°Damn you, Yu Parang!! I like you!!!¡± But it was ambiguous. Should they consider it disgusting or not? It was¡­ something. What they saw was the gaping maw of the monster. Rassius. Also known to people as the ¡°Balloon Eel,¡± it was a mutated species. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was quite famous even in Parang¡¯s previous life. If there was a YouTube video titled ¡°Top 5 Weird Deep-Sea Fish,¡± this creature would definitely be included. Its hunting method, opening its massive mouth that took up nearly a tenth of its body length to scoop up fish, was a rare sight that could only be seen in the deep sea. It had grown 50 times larger than the original, making it 100 meters in size. When it opened its mouth, the jaw alone was 10 meters long. ©¤But it looks so different from the balloon eel I know. ©¤Right? Was its mouth that small? ©¤Maybe it mutated? Quite a few people recognized it because it was fairly famous. But Rassius was indeed just a balloon eel that had grown absurdly large. As with most creatures mutated by the gate, the original form was maintained, but the size became enormous and strange abilities were added. This was just a common misconception. The generally known ¡°eel with a jaw larger than a third of its body¡± was actually the pelican eel. Although they were entirely different species, they were lumped together under the name ¡°big-mouthed deep-sea fish,¡± leading to confusion. It was an unfair situation for both the pelican eel and the balloon eel. Parang shared some knowledge she had picked up from Vertea. ¡°Both swallow their prey whole and digest it inside, but the balloon eel has a pouch in its body to store food, while the pelican eel just stuffs the food directly into its body.¡± Actually, it would be clearer if she showed it directly, Parang added. ©¤What? ©¤What? ¡°Shall we get eaten?¡± ©¤What? In fact, Parang had planned to go inside even before starting the broadcast. She had something she wanted to try inside. But that was a surprise, so she made an excuse. ¡°The object is likely inside Rassius.¡± Saying ¡°likely¡± was an understatement; it was almost certain. From Parang¡¯s perspective, it was easier to kill Rassius and sink the object with its corpse. ©¤Got it perfectly ©¤ (Didn¡¯t get it) ©¤What? ¡°I think it¡¯s better to explain it from inside.¡± With that, Parang slipped into Rassius¡¯s open mouth. ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 3000 won! ¨C ¡°This time, it¡¯s really not.¡± To be honest, it was. Parang felt a bit guilty. Chapter 17: To Hong Kong (3) Chapter 17: To Hong Kong (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 17 Just as the pelican eel has a mouth resembling a pelican¡¯s, the balloon eel really has a balloon-like body. The size of this balloon is a staggering 70% of its body. When fully inflated, it can hold prey up to five times its body size. So theoretically, a 100-meter-long Rassius could swallow a 450-meter-long sperm whale. In reality, its appetite is so voracious that if the two were to meet, Rassius would likely try to eat the whale. Whether it could digest it is another matter, but still. Parang entered the inside of Rassius. Naturally, it was pitch dark, so she turned on her flashlight. The light illuminated her surroundings, revealing the interior. ©¤The inside is cleaner than I thought? The inside was indeed cleaner than expected. This was natural since the pouch had looked deflated from the outside. It was probably in a fasting state. Parang had entered the stomach of a fasting monster. Why? Because the object was here. Originally, Rassius was a species that didn¡¯t exceed 30 meters in length. But at 100 meters, it was clear. It must have swallowed the object and kept it inside. Given its habit of swallowing everything it encountered, it was no surprise. It was the sad nature of a balloon eel that had invested all its stats into its mouth. ©¤But if it can swallow a whale, why is it so cramped in here? ©¤Seriously, it¡¯s suffocatingly tight. ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re inside a deflated balloon. The size adjusts based on the prey inside.¡± And a 100-meter-long Rassius didn¡¯t even consider a 1.6-meter-tall Parang as food. As evidence, no digestive fluids were being secreted inside Rassius¡¯s pouch. Not that it mattered to Parang. She continued her explanation with the flashlight on. In the pitch-black darkness, only the small space illuminated by the round light was visible. ¡°Rassius¡¯s pouch is incredibly elastic, so it doesn¡¯t need to be large by default. If it were too big, it would just hinder swimming.¡± In fact, a balloon eel with an uninflated pouch looked like a normal large-mouthed eel. The swimming part was a bit different, though. The original balloon eel had invested all its stats into its mouth, resulting in poor swimming abilities. So, it usually stood vertically like other ribbonfish or eels, using the bioluminescent organ on its tail to lure and catch prey. But that¡¯s the story of the balloon eel. Rassius, on the other hand, was undoubtedly one of the top predators in the monster world. Its swimming speed was average for the deep sea. So, if one could ride inside it like Parang, it was like using a free subway in the deep sea. She had actually tried it a few times. The direction was random, so it wasn¡¯t very effective. ©¤Why would you even try that? ©¤¡±Shall we ride?¡± ©¤This crazy woman¡­ Parang smiled contentedly as she glanced at the chat. There were no messages saying they would quit watching. It was a bit annoying. She wondered if she should create a chant for them to recite. Something like ¡°Scary, scary ocean, don¡¯t dive, dive¡± seemed just right. Parang felt a bit peeved at the chat. ¡°Then this time, I¡¯ll let you experience what it feels like to be digested inside Rassius. Think of it as ASMR.¡± ©¤? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤? ©¤??? ©¤What ©¤What Parang looked around for a moment and then said, ¡°Ah, here it is,¡± as she pointed the camera at a corner. At a glance, it looked somewhat like a human uvula. ¡°There are several of these columns inside Rassius¡¯s pouch. When the pouch is full, the food inside touches the columns. When the columns are tilted, it triggers the secretion of digestive fluids.¡± Parang explained matter-of-factly. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to touch this and let you experience what it feels like to be digested. Maybe such a scary experience will make you lose the desire to dive?¡± ©¤I already don¡¯t want to ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Parang grabbed the top of the fleshy column and slammed it to the ground. The column bent backward and almost lay flat on the ground. As long as it stayed tilted, digestive fluids would continue to be secreted. ¡°Now, the water inside will slowly drain, and the space will be filled with highly acidic digestive fluids. It¡¯s about ten times more acidic than human stomach acid.¡± ©¤So that means the pH is 0.5? ¡°Something like that.¡± According to Vertea, it was reliable information. Anyway, Parang began to be digested inside the monster. ¨C Boooooo. ¨C ¡°That¡¯s the sound of digestive fluids being released,¡± Parang whispered. And then, silence. The water grew murkier, likely due to the stomach acid. [Skill, ¡®Clear Mirror Still Water¡¯ is activated.] A common piece of knowledge for hunters: they could control the power of their skills. It was similar to how a human could control the strength of their arm swings. Currently, Parang was purifying only the water within 5 centimeters of her skin. It was to provide a more realistic experience. Soon, the water became truly murky, as if she were in muddy water. It took on a sickly hue somewhere between gray and green. The flashlight was now almost useless, failing to provide any visibility. From various places, sounds like shaaaa¡ª and chiiii¡ª began to emerge. It was the sound of other monster remnants inside the balloon dissolving. Parang adjusted her phone to turn off the ¡®Underwater Voice Optimization¡¯ option. Instantly, even the sound disappeared. It was like the muffled noises one heard underwater. Only the sounds of rising bubbles and the secretion of digestive fluids remained. ¨C Boooooo¡ª Boooooo. ¨C ¨C Shuaaa. ¨C The water¡¯s color stopped changing. It probably meant the stomach was now 100% filled with digestive fluids. ¨C Thud¡ª Thud. ¨C Something floating bumped against Parang¡¯s left arm. When she turned her head, she saw a half-dissolved piece of meat, its shape unrecognizable. The piece of meat, which must have once been bright red, was dissolving in real-time. Thirty minutes passed like that. Honestly, Parang hadn¡¯t planned to stay for thirty minutes. She had just gotten lost in thought. ¡°Hmm, I think that¡¯s enough.¡± In fact, she was startled when she checked the time. Had it really been thirty minutes? She had thought only about five minutes had passed. ©¤¡¯Iron Man¡¯ donated 10,000 won! ¨C ©¤¡¯Sky Letter¡¯ donated 25,000 won! ¨C ©¤¡¯Jang Baeksoon¡¯ donated 1,000 won! ¨C Since she had turned off the donation alerts to set the mood, the messages now flooded in all at once. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t plan to go this far, but I got lost in thought.¡± This was genuine. ©¤I¡¯ve lived to see the day where I watch a broadcast of someone being digested inside a fish¡¯s stomach ©¤Lol, this is crazy ¡°Now, do you feel like diving anymore? If you dive, you might end up having a similar experience to this one, and it could be your last.¡± ©¤This was the most terrifying threat I¡¯d ever heard in my life ©¤Directly experiencing it and saying it¡¯s a threat is on a whole different level Parang smiled satisfactorily as she wielded her harpoon and pierced Rassius¡¯s stomach, emerging from the inside. As she did, the digestive fluids flowed out like a flood, spreading around her. And Rassius was probably going to die. ??????!!!!!!!!!!!! Before long, Rassius¡¯s balloon had inflated to an enormous size, almost merging with its body. And inside that inflated balloon was not meat, but a sea of extremely acidic stomach acid. Those who had experienced stomach acid reflux would know how painful this was. Moreover, Parang had just pierced Rassius¡¯s stomach. ¡°It looks like it hurts a lot.¡± ©¤Maybe applying some Albochil would help That seemed like a good idea. She should try it next time. Parang created a water bomb and inserted it into Rassius¡¯s stomach. She had a talent for this kind of thing. ????!!!!!!!!???!!!?!!!!?!!!!!! With a cheerful sound, Rassius finally died. The object would probably sink to the bottom, and then wander around this area until it was eaten by another monster. The object was too small, so Elvira had attached a tracking device to it. Parang checked the location of the East China Sea 2nd Object on her phone as it grew farther away. She would probably have to come back to subdue it in about a month or two. Why not just destroy it instead of leaving it like that? But the object was indestructible. Elvira¡¯s mines and Diego¡¯s attempts to crush it had failed. Russell had almost broken his teeth. So, should they just bring it up to the surface and isolate it? That was absurd. The object was small, but that was relative to its own standard. The East China Sea 2nd Object was a massive sphere with a radius of 30 meters and a diameter of 60 meters. The Statue of Liberty was 93 meters tall. Where would they even isolate something like that? And even if they managed to bring it up to the surface and isolate it, there would be problems. They had no idea what kind of phenomenon it would cause. A 100-meter dragon could continuously appear. So, what could they do? They had to manage these alien objects by assigning people to take shifts. But that¡¯s that, and this is this. Parang¡¯s stomach started growling. She hadn¡¯t eaten a single meal since this morning. She needed to finish up quickly and head to Xiao¡¯s place to eat until she was full. Parang increased her speed. Chapter 18: To Hong Kong (4) Chapter 18: To Hong Kong (4)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 18 ¡°Now, there¡¯s just one left. It¡¯s here.¡± ©¤What kind of creature is waiting at the last one? After a few more hours, Parang arrived at the location of the final object. The viewer count was now at 30,000. It had been only 10,000 when she was inside Rassius¡¯s stomach. Word must have spread on the internet about the thrilling Rassius ASMR. ¡°This time, it¡¯s really not something disgusting.¡± The chat was instantly flooded with various emoticons. Were they angry? ¡°Are you angry?¡± ©¤Yes ©¤Me ©¤Me ©¤Rock ©¤Rock ©¤Me ©¤Yes ©¤We¡¯re mad ¡°I see.¡± Not that Parang cared much. ¡°This time, we¡¯re going into a ¡®Hive.¡¯¡± ©¤Hive? ©¤What¡¯s that? ©¤The name sounds ominous ©¤Is it what I think it is? ¡°The concept is roughly the same. It refers to structures or terrains that serve as colonies for monsters.¡± ©¤¡¯Gorani¡¯ donated 1,500 won! ¨C ¡°A Hive is also a type of object. However, it¡¯s large enough to house hundreds or even thousands of monsters. You can think of it as similar to a dungeon on land.¡± ©¤How big is it? ©¤Hundreds of monsters? ©¤What??? ©¤If it¡¯s like a dungeon, does it have a boss too? ¡°Exactly. Just like a dungeon, a Hive often has a boss monster. These bosses are usually much stronger and more dangerous than the regular monsters inside.¡± Parang continued to explain as she approached the entrance of the Hive, preparing herself for what lay ahead. ¡°There is. But what we¡¯re hunting today isn¡¯t the boss.¡± Usually, there was a species that reigned as the top predator within the Hive ecosystem. Some, like Aurita, lived in groups, while others, like the sperm whale, dominated through sheer size. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one in the East Sea too. It¡¯s actually quite large.¡± ©¤???? ©¤The East Sea I know?? ©¤And it¡¯s quite large? ¡°Scary, right? You definitely shouldn¡¯t dive.¡± ©¤You say that without even changing your expression ©¤How can we see her expression from this angle? ©¤Just feels like she didn¡¯t change it ©¤That¡¯s true ¡°Someday, I¡¯ll explore the Hive in the East Sea too.¡± That area was originally Parang¡¯s responsibility. She had to clean it up periodically. Usually, she called upon the Kraken, but it was manageable without it, except for the boss. Taking Xiao or Elvira along would be fine too. ¡°Hmm.¡± Enough idle thoughts. It was time to get to work. Parang had already decided what to eat in Hong Kong. She wanted to finish quickly and relax. Parang turned the camera to show the Hive. ¡°This is the Hive in the East China Sea. Underwater hunters call it the ¡®Kitchen¡¯ for convenience.¡± The viewers were shocked by three main things. First, the appearance of the structure called the Hive. At a glance, it was clear that this was a Hive. The structure stood prominently underwater. A gigantic conch shell. Its spiraled shell, elongated entrance, and rib-like protrusions along its tail made it unmistakable. If you attached a string, it would look just like a magical conch shell. It was that classic in appearance. Second, the size of the Hive. The elongated oval entrance had deep-sea fish swimming in and out, resembling spaceships entering and exiting a massive warp gate in a sci-fi movie. In other words, the monstrous creatures they had seen, which were several tens of meters in size, looked like tiny spaceships in front of a giant gate. Third, the glimpse of the interior through the entrance. ©¤Why does it actually look like a kitchen?? ©¤I¡¯m not the only one seeing that, right? ©¤This is really insane Inside, there was clearly something that could only be described as a ¡°pot¡± peeking out. However, the handle of this pot was the same size as the monster passing by it. It was an utterly incomprehensible, supernatural, and grotesque sight. ¡°It¡¯s a Hive. According to the underwater hunters, about 500 monsters live inside.¡± By underwater hunters, she meant Oceanos. Ordinary underwater hunters couldn¡¯t even reach this place, let alone study the population. The current depth was 3.5 kilometers underwater. Being near the Hive, there were an enormous number of monsters around. While monsters several tens of meters in size wouldn¡¯t specifically target a human less than 2 meters tall, there were plenty of monsters that could kill a person as easily as stepping on an ant, even without intending to eat them. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go inside, quickly deal with the target, and come out.¡± Parang increased her swimming speed to enter the maze. Swimming swiftly between the monsters slowly heading toward the entrance, Parang looked like the protagonist¡¯s car in a racing game, speeding ahead alone. Thanks to this, the viewers could fully experience the sensation of swimming among various monsters. From the common deep-sea fish like anglerfish to familiar ones like Rassius or Belua, and even sea snakes, swordfish, sharks, and more. Of course, there were also monsters they had never seen before, things that barely looked like fish, and even some that made them question if they were alive at all, heading into and out of the Hive. Parang finally entered the Hive, gracefully passing all of them. Surprisingly, the inside was quite bright. It felt like a restaurant during the day with the lights off. For some reason, bright light was streaming in from rectangular structures on the walls that seemed to mimic windows. She wasn¡¯t sure if ¡°mimic¡± was the right word. The floor had a chessboard pattern of white and black tiles, and the walls were lined with pristine white metal tiles. It genuinely looked like a kitchen. There were only two differences from a kitchen on land. First, a kitchen on land wouldn¡¯t be this enormous. It seemed designed for someone about 700 meters tall. Second, a kitchen on land wouldn¡¯t have monsters occupying various spots. There were creatures clattering inside the sink, starfish clinging to ladles, and eels peeking out from the dishwasher. There were bizarre chunks of flesh floating around, dark green slime stuck to the floor looking upward, and black, thin-legged clams crawling into the trash can. And then there were the skeletons swarming around, biting into the monsters¡¯ flesh. Those were sent by Xiao, a form of automated hunting. In any case, the familiar setting of a kitchen combined with these alien elements made for an incredibly grotesque and surreal scene. ©¤There¡¯s something like this in the East Sea? ©¤Damn, seriously ©¤The visuals are insane ¡°The one in the East Sea is about five times bigger than this.¡± ©¤¡¯??¡¯ donated 10,000 won! ¨C ¡°That¡¯s right. Underneath where you swim, these things exist.¡± The chat went silent for a moment. The deep sea, which they had vaguely thought of as another world, suddenly felt real and terrifying when they realized it was right beneath their feet. ©¤I¡¯m quitting diving from today Parang¡¯s mood improved significantly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here long either. Let¡¯s quickly deal with the target and get out.¡± Her voice tone was slightly higher, indicating her excitement. ©¤But what¡¯s the target? ¡°That.¡± Fortunately, the target object was located closest to the entrance within the ¡°kitchen.¡± What she pointed at was a crab inside a pot near the entrance. It wasn¡¯t the long-shelled blue crab commonly found in crab dishes. It was a fiddler crab with one abnormally large claw. Normally, a fiddler crab¡¯s claw and body are similar in size. After becoming a monster, its claw grew to the point where the body seemed attached to the claw. In fact, vital organs, including the brain, moved into the claw. The body was reduced to just legs. ¡°It¡¯s called Tubuka. Unlike serpent-type monsters that use body length as a size standard, Tubuka uses claw length. That one looks about 100 meters.¡± Originally, Tubuka¡¯s claw wouldn¡¯t exceed 50 meters. Given that it had settled inside this object, it was an expected result. Around the pot with the fiddler crab were the corpses of various monsters. From ordinary fish to clams, unidentified creatures, and even amorphous entities that made one question if they could be eaten. Tubuka had its claw embedded in the plump flesh of a monster¡¯s corpse nearby. It was feeding. Tubuka¡¯s mouth was located on its claw. Parang quietly swam towards Tubuka, cutting through the water. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While other monsters might be a challenge, there were many easy ways to handle Tubuka. She had been worried about needing to use the Kraken, but fortunately, that wasn¡¯t necessary. Anyway, Parang approached Tubuka silently. She didn¡¯t like ambushes, but capturing Tubuka this way was the quickest and most certain method. Parang reached a distance where she could touch the claw that was over a hundred meters long. At this point, it looked just like a wall. Given Tubuka¡¯s field of vision, it couldn¡¯t detect the 1.6-meter human hiding right behind its claw. Parang quietly but quickly swam into the space between the carapace forming Tubuka¡¯s body and the carapace making up its claw. No matter how enormous a monster was, it couldn¡¯t ignore something entering its body. ?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tubuka immediately started thrashing around wildly, causing chaos. However, Tubuka had concentrated all its combat power, mobility, and even cognitive ability into its claw. If Parang had entered its body, Tubuka could have crushed her by slamming its body down. But the claw? With its body having atrophied except for the claw, what could it use to slam down? Tubuka tried desperately to slam its claw against the pot walls and floor, but Parang, who had already burrowed deep inside and grabbed onto the soft flesh, had no intention of letting go. Instead, she made a grinding noise as she tore through the soft tissues inside the claw. The pain was unimaginable. To put it in human terms, it was like a 1.6-centimeter insect entering your ear with a 2-centimeter harpoon and wreaking havoc inside your head. It was impossible not to lose one¡¯s mind. And the viewers were losing their minds as well. It was like watching a first-person video of an insect exploring a human brain. The only source of light was the flashlight in the dark space, illuminating chunks of flesh and blood vessels. The camera capturing Parang¡¯s view showed unknown organs twitching and writhing, with occasional bursts of blood and eyeballs being pierced. Even hunters, who were used to seeing blood and flesh, would be startled by such a sight. How much worse would it be for ordinary people? It was sheer torture. ©¤You said it wasn¡¯t disgusting, you said it wasn¡¯t disgusting, you said it wasn¡¯t disgusting ©¤Was that the lung or the heart that just passed by? ©¤It was the lung ©¤No, it was the heart? ©¤Didn¡¯t both just pass by? Parang shredded Tubuka¡¯s brain and eyes. This was undoubtedly a fatal blow. With the subjugation of three special objects complete, Parang leisurely exited the ¡°kitchen.¡± She then swam at an incredible speed once more. Parang¡¯s eyes were colder and more focused than ever as she stared ahead. When she arrived in Hong Kong, she absolutely had to eat xiaolongbao. That thought filled her mind. Her stomach was likely to growl. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything since leaving Pohang. Well, it wouldn¡¯t be great if that sound got broadcasted. ¡°We¡¯ll stop here for today. Thank you all for your hard work.¡± ©¤Thanks to you, we worked hard too, damn it ©¤At least you know we worked hard¡­ ©¤Lol, I closed my eyes and just listened, damn it, should¡¯ve blocked my ears too The chat exploded instantly. But Parang didn¡¯t care. People who found this disgusting and left wouldn¡¯t be diving again. As soon as she ended the broadcast, her stomach growled. Parang swam faster than ever. A while later, at a pier in Hong Kong. Bubbles rose to the surface, and Parang¡¯s head popped up with a ¡°plop.¡± Chapter 19: Interlude Chapter 19: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 19 Author Note: (There is a scene where the lights go out midway. Watching from there with a black screen will enhance your immersion.) Meanwhile, as Parang popped her head out of the water off the coast of Hong Kong, the world continued to face relentless waves of upheaval. ¨C Tap-tap ¨C Her ambitious attempt to venture into the deep sea was thwarted. Of course, one might question why she needed Parang¡¯s permission to do what she wanted. After all, Parang wasn¡¯t her mother. To put it simply, she needed permission. More accurately, Yuna herself had no intention of going down without Parang¡¯s OK sign. No matter how curious she was or how much fun it was to learn, if a professional who had spent years in that environment said not to do it, it was best not to. If Parang said it was too dangerous to even send an unmanned submarine to view things from a screen, it meant there was something truly dangerous even to see from a screen. Having encountered and been mesmerized by monsters, and having nearly died in the process, Yuna could make that judgment. If told not to, it was best not to. So, she lay on her bed, tapping her phone. She was feeling down because all her hard work had gone to waste. Her mind understood that giving up was the right thing to do, but understanding and feeling were two different things. Wondering what to watch, she entered the . The community was burning with discussions about Yu Parang as usual. The name became meaningless whenever Parang started her broadcast. She slowly scrolled down, carefully reading the popular posts. Combined with the first part ?? (GIF of Makula crawling around the first object in the East China Sea) (GIF of Makula¡¯s mouth) (GIF of Makula exploding in a burst of flesh and blood) ¡­ (Screen capture GIF of Tubuka¡¯s eye being pierced) ©¤They look really messed up ? Seriously, they look like they were designed by a madman ©¤So disgusting, damn it ©¤Why do the glimpses of her fingers look so pretty in the middle? ? This guy always writes praise posts about Yu Parang ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± What is this? Last time, just seeing Galecus¡¯s egg made her turn off her phone immediately, but now it didn¡¯t bother her at all. Maybe she had gotten used to it from seeing it so often. Last time with Galecus, it was really fun, but I had to leave halfway, so I never saw the monster finishing scenes, damn it. ©¤You too? ©¤Those clips are already uploaded by YouTube channels. ? I know, but they¡¯re too disgusting to watch. ©¤I deliberately watch in 144p resolution. ? What about the sound then? ? That¡¯s what I should have figured out earlier, damn it. ? Lolololololol ? What¡¯s this, damn it, lolololol (Photo of a black latex suit discarded at a recycling station. The zipper appears to have been forcibly torn apart as if someone tried to close it unsuccessfully.) Found this while taking out the recycling. Who the hell left this here, damn it? ©¤What the hell, lol Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Isn¡¯t that the guy from the popular post last time? ? Who¡¯s that guy? ? (Link) ? Damn, lolololololol ©¤Is that for women? ? No, it¡¯s for men. ? Oh¡­ Where is this place? ? Why are you asking, you crazy bastard? ? What¡¯s with this guy, damn it, lolololol There¡¯s nothing like that. Just look at some gross pics. (GIF of Makula crawling around the first object in the East China Sea) ¡­ ¡­ (Screen capture GIF of Tubuka¡¯s eye being pierced) ©¤Ah, gross, damn it ©¤? But something seems off ©¤It¡¯s the same photos as the post above, lol ? Seriously, lol ? It¡¯s really messed up, lolololol ©¤Every broadcast brings out gross pics¡­ Yuna chuckled as she browsed the community. Watching these funny posts was the best cure for her gloom. Having skimmed through the popular posts, she decided to read a few recent general posts before logging off. Switching to the general posts tab, she saw a shocking title at the very top. (A photo taken from a mountain, looking down at the village where Parang lives. The lens seems overly zoomed, making the photo a bit blurry. However, the distinct white exterior of Parang¡¯s house is clearly visible.) Took this while hiking. What is this? There were no comments, and the post had only three views. Judging by the upload time, Yuna had opened the page almost simultaneously with the post going up. A cold shiver ran down her spine, and goosebumps covered her skin. What if this person had malicious intentions? What if this photo spread and attracted people with ill intentions towards Yu Parang? Objectively speaking, Parang was very beautiful. Yuna, who had declared her all-in for Yu Parang, couldn¡¯t stand the thought of such a scenario. She quickly sent a message to Yu Parang and then pulled out her design papers, frantically sketching something. She didn¡¯t forget to contact her fellow hunter-engineers. Meanwhile¡­ [ This post has been deleted. ] ¡°What the hell?¡± A-rank hunter Kim Seojin felt something was off. The post he had uploaded was deleted in less than two seconds. The only excitement in his monotonous hunter life came from the attention he received on the community. As unbelievable as it might sound, there were quite a few people like him in the world. Anyway, he was puzzled. ¡®Why isn¡¯t this going up?¡¯ He had driven all the way to Pohang to find Yu Parang¡¯s house. His plan was to first enjoy the reactions on the community and then report it to a second-rate magazine for some cash. Isn¡¯t that order reversed? No, it wasn¡¯t. The attention he received from the community was his primary goal. For an A-rank hunter, the fee from a magazine wasn¡¯t even a day¡¯s wage. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people like him in the world. Anyway, he was frustrated that he couldn¡¯t upload his post. He had tried to upload it right after taking the photo on the mountain, but it failed due to poor signal. He tried again at home on his computer, but it was deleted in two seconds. A post that would have received an enormous number of upvotes couldn¡¯t be uploaded. It wasn¡¯t like the moderators, who didn¡¯t even cut Galecus eggs, would delete this. It must have been a blind shot by an admin. He tried to write the same post again on the community. Or rather, he tried to. [ You cannot write posts with a blocked account. ] [ Reason for block: Stop it. ] ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Blocked? Why would he be blocked when he had never posted anything offensive? Thinking it might be an IP error, he connected to a different Wi-Fi network, but still, [ You cannot write posts with a blocked account. ] [ Reason for block: Stop it. ] ¡°No, seriously, what is this?¡± Did the server admin spill tteokbokki on the server computer again? Fine, let¡¯s see who wins. Determined, he quickly rewrote the post and hit the upload button. Suddenly, the computer screen turned completely red, with large black letters appearing. ¡°Ah!!¡± He was startled by the sudden appearance, something that was unlike him. ¡°What, what is this, damn it.¡± What is this? An error? No, it was too eerie to be just an error. ¡°Damn it. This is creepy. My luck is really bad today.¡± He decided to think of it as a simple machine malfunction. It was easier on his mind that way. It was late at night, so he decided to call someone to fix it tomorrow. He would just turn it off and go to bed. However, ¨C Click, click. ¨C ¡°What, what is this? Why won¡¯t it turn off?¡± The computer, displaying the red screen, showed no signs of shutting down. Just the red screen. And suddenly, the lights in the house went out. ¡°What, what the hell!¡± A power outage? But why didn¡¯t the computer turn off? In the pitch-black house, the red screen and black letters stood out ominously. Even for an A-rank hunter like him, the scene was unsettling. He decided he would sleep outside tonight. As he made up his mind and tried to leave the room, ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Ah, ahhh!!¡± A voice suddenly echoed. ¡°What, what the hell!! Who¡¯s there, come out!!!¡± Seojin grabbed whatever he could find and scanned his surroundings. But the voice showed no signs of stopping. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± The voices sounded like a chaotic choir of people of all ages, but unlike a harmonious choir, the voices were jumbled and forcibly mixed together. ¡°Damn it!! Come out!! I¡¯m an A-rank hunter. Who¡¯s playing tricks here!!¡± Listening closely, it seemed the sound was coming from the computer. Maybe it was some kind of hacking tool. Hacking a computer made by Silo Corporation was practically impossible. Even the highly skilled Shin Yuna couldn¡¯t breach its basic security. So, it was definitely not the work of a hacker, but Seojin decided to think of it that way. It was much less terrifying to believe he had been targeted by a mischievous hacker. Regaining some of his confidence, he shouted, ¡°You little rat, only good at messing with machines. You¡¯re dead if I catch you.¡± He blurted out whatever came to mind. But it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Stop it.¡± This time, the voice came from the living room. With trembling steps, he walked over and kicked open the door, only to find the dark living room illuminated solely by the TV. The same voice emanated from the TV, just like from the computer. Seojin¡¯s legs and arms began to shake uncontrollably. And it wasn¡¯t just the TV. Other appliances started one by one. The washing machine, water purifier, rice cooker, robot vacuum, air purifier, Bluetooth speaker. Every appliance in the house that could speak started talking from all directions. All Silo Corporation products. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¨C Buzzzzz!!! Buzzzzz!!!!! Buzzzzz!!!! ¨C His phone, which was supposed to be on silent, buzzed madly. With trembling hands, he looked at the phone screen and saw 999 missed messages. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. At this point, he was too terrified to bear it. The moment the safest place turned into a scene of horror, humans feel extreme fear. In his pajamas, he ran to the front door. ¡°Ah, ahhhhh!!!¡± From his phone, which he hadn¡¯t even answered, came the same voice. ¡°Stop it.¡± He frantically struggled to open the electronic door lock. A simple push from inside should open it. However, even his last hope, the door lock, spoke to him. ¡°Stop it.¡± The door wouldn¡¯t open. He banged on it, rammed it with his body, pleaded, and raged. For a full 30 minutes. For 30 minutes, no one came to Seojin¡¯s aid. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Ahhhhh!!! Damn it!!!! Why are you doing this to meeeee!!!!!!!!¡± Finally, he collapsed in front of the door, clutching his head. And then, silence. Nothing could be heard or seen. The last whisper from the door lock, ¡°Stop it.¡± The lights in the house turned on, and all the appliances returned to their normal state, as if nothing had happened. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ damn it¡­¡± From that day on, Kim Seojin quit the community and lost all interest in Yu Parang the hunter. He tried to throw out all the appliances in his house and replace them with non-Silo Corporation products, but he failed. He couldn¡¯t find any appliances that weren¡¯t made by Silo Corporation. Chapter 20: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (1) Chapter 20: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 20 Hong Kong. The city that never sleeps, the flower of the South China Sea, the beacon of the world. B-rank hunter Yu Parang arrived there. As she stepped onto the dock, two hulking figures, each at least twice her size, approached her. Dressed in black suits and sunglasses, they looked like gangsters straight out of a Hong Kong noir film. They walked up to Parang and politely handed her a large bag. ¡°Thank you.¡± Parang accepted it without hesitation and opened it. Inside was a neat suit and three thick towels. She dried herself off with the towels and then put on the suit over her bodysuit. The suit was tailored to fit her perfectly, accentuating her beautiful figure despite being formal wear. ¡°We will escort you.¡± Parang followed the hulking men into a limousine. Inside, there were some sweet snacks and a few drinks prepared. ¨C Crunch ¨C Parang picked up a Lotus biscuit and put it in her mouth. It was her favorite snack. In the ultra-luxurious limousine, where even the sound of the wheels rolling was inaudible, the only sound was the crunching of the biscuit. And just as the tray of snacks was almost empty, ¡°We have arrived.¡± The driver informed Parang of their arrival. As one of the hulking men got out and opened the door, she saw a skyscraper that seemed to reach the sky. This was the residence of Xiao, the richest person in Hong Kong and a D-rank hunter, and a major player in Oceanos. The reason for her wealth was simple: her skill. With thousands upon thousands of skeletons catching monsters in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean at a rate of one every ten minutes, she never ran out of money. However, the bones that surfaced all melted away. So, she spread nets at a depth of five meters, where the skeletons would place magic stones and by-products, which she then delivered in bulk to the association daily. She even sold the surplus that didn¡¯t go into the association¡¯s warehouse on the black market, so she was swimming in money. This entire building belonged to Xiao. All the security personnel were permanently employed, each one being either top-tier A-rank or low-tier S-rank. For Xiao, who was practically powerless on land, such measures were essential. In fact, all members of Oceanos were like that. They each found their own way to live while protecting themselves. Russell had settled on an uninhabited island, and Parang could reach the sea and dive in within three seconds no matter where she was in her house. As Parang approached the building, the hulking figure guarding the entrance opened the glass door and bowed. ¡°Thank you.¡± When she entered the elevator, lasers scanned her from all directions. [????] [ Yu Parang, confirmed. ] Without pressing any buttons, the elevator smoothly ascended. At the top floor, the elevator door opened with a ding, revealing an obviously luxurious space. A large circular room with 360-degree floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The floor was covered in gleaming mahogany wood, giving a cozy yet upscale feel. In one corner, there was a sunken bathtub that doubled as a swimming pool, and on the opposite side, a cozy-looking sofa and a real fireplace. In the center of the room was a massive round dining table, where Xiao, dressed in a silk cheongsam, was seated. Parang walked over and sat down at the table. An extravagant feast was laid out on the table. In Hong Kong, a gourmet¡¯s paradise, this was the finest meal one could be served. Each dish was worth the price of a monster. Being a port city, the main focus was on seafood. Steamed whole fish, sashimi, grilled octopus and squid, boiled, braised, and fried dishes. Lobsters, king crabs, and various other crustaceans added a golden-red glow to the table like flowers. Around the main meat dishes, green, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables were arranged like blooming flower buds. And the meats were equally impressive. Juicy steaks dripping with fat, shabu-shabu with mountains of meat, roasted chickens and ducks, plump birds cooked whole, fried pork, and deeply braised beef. There were even xiaolongbao. These dishes were prepared by Xiao for Parang, who had swum all the way to Hong Kong without eating. ¡°Lister while you eat.¡± At that, Parang began to devour the food in front of her. In truth, she would have eaten even if she hadn¡¯t been told to. ¡°So, according to what I¡¯ve found out¡­¡± As Parang ate voraciously, Xiao began to speak. Their conversation was more of Xiao talking and Parang nodding along. ¡°Are you listening?¡± ¨C Nod, nod. ¨C ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯ll handle it your way.¡± As they conversed, Parang finished her meal. Half of the food on the table had disappeared. Parang¡¯s stomach was now completely full. It had been a while since she felt this full. Given her usual activities, it was clear that Parang¡¯s calorie consumption was immense. This was why she didn¡¯t gain weight despite eating so much; in fact, her body was in excellent shape. Anyway, the meal was over. By now, the sun had set, and the night view of Hong Kong stretched endlessly below them. The myriad lights below made it feel like they were flying over a shimmering sea. This was Xiao¡¯s favorite view. She looked out the glass window and elegantly sipped a glass of wine. ¡°You must be tired. Stay the night.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Parang went to the guest room, far from Xiao¡¯s bedroom, and slept soundly. She woke up feeling refreshed. Upon waking, she found a text message on her phone. Below that, there were various demands such as extracting eyeballs, slicing in half, and soaking in acidic liquid. Parang sent a reply. If they met again, they could conduct the experiments then. Now it was time to work. Parang packed up early in the morning. On the way out, she wanted to say goodbye to the landlord, Xiao, but found her sprawled out asleep in the bedroom. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Parang left a thank-you message and dashed towards the sea, diving in. She submerged at an incredible speed, eager to finish quickly and return. While she generally enjoyed staying underwater, it was different when it became work. Before long, the enormous conch from the previous encounter came into view. Just like last time, he intended to handle the task swiftly and leave, moving without hesitation. The discomfort of the Hive space was beyond imagination. No one would want to stay here for long, that was for sure. Navigating the massive kitchen, Parang searched for what Xiao had mentioned. ¡®A red pot¡­ a red pot. Is that it? No, that¡¯s not it. Oh, made eye contact.¡¯ If she released the Kraken here, all the creatures in this space would rush in, so she decided to hold off. It wasn¡¯t impossible, just time-consuming and annoying. Parang swiftly dealt with the 70-meter shrimp in the red steamer, skewering it from head to tail in an instant, then looked around. She spotted something red on the stove across from her. That must be it, she thought, swimming over. Sure enough, it was unmistakably a pot. Standing beside the pot, Parang estimated its diameter to be around 100 meters. Given that the target¡¯s length ranged from 50 to 300 meters, Parang¡¯s visual estimate was quite accurate. Facing monsters of that size daily had honed her skills. Parang cautiously peered inside the pot. Surprisingly, there were no monsters. Well, that could happen. Parang dove into the pot. The pot was over 120 meters deep. It was said that this pot could boil the Statue of Liberty. There was a certain fear that only familiar objects could evoke. This was why an odd sense of dread accompanied the encounter with such objects. Even the seasoned Parang sometimes felt strange emotions in such situations. Anyway, at the bottom of the pot, Parang searched every corner until she found a pile of bones in one spot. Clearing the bones revealed a small hole in the floor. It was similar in width to the hole she had entered when capturing Makula. Entering the hole, the passageway gradually narrowed. By the end, it was almost as narrow as Parang¡¯s shoulder width, forcing her to squeeze through. Fortunately, Parang had a slender build. If her chest had been any larger, she would have been stuck, unable to move. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Xiao had sent skeletons to measure the space accurately, squeezing into such a tight space was still nerve-wracking for Parang. She almost developed claustrophobia. The space became so tight that even minimal movements to advance were difficult. She wondered if Xiao had measured wrong, if she would get stuck and die, or if she had eaten too much yesterday. She even regretted not eating more. Then, with a pop, Parang emerged through a ceiling into another space. Considering the structure, she had come down through the bottom of the pot on the gas stove, so this must be inside the gas stove. Of course, it only looked like a gas stove. The interior didn¡¯t resemble a real gas stove. If she had to compare, it was like an underwater cave. For some reason, the surrounding water was entirely red. Maybe there was an iron ore vein nearby. Parang, who didn¡¯t care much for science, just accepted it. But still, red water made her uneasy. [Skill, ¡®Clear Mirror Still Water¡¯ is activated.] She expanded the purification range to its maximum. The water around her, which had been entirely red, cleared up, creating a boundary of about 5 meters. On one side was red water, and on the other, clear and transparent water, making it feel like she was inside a water bubble. It was a very peculiar feeling. Looking around, Parang saw thin and thick pillars rising from the ceiling, extending down to the unseen depths below. Although Parang had entered through the sink, she found herself in what was unmistakably a cave. From the ceiling where she stood, the floor was not visible, suggesting it was quite deep. Either that, or the water was extremely murky. She needed to remember her location. Losing this narrow hole in the vast cave would be a disaster. Her mapping skill was only useful for finding known coordinates, and she didn¡¯t know the coordinates of this hole. Given how winding the passage had been, it was no wonder. But fortunately, there was a solution. Parang pressed a button on her wrist, reminiscent of a friendly neighborhood web-slinger. A blue, jelly-like substance puffed up and dropped with a plop. It had a complicated name like QCX14-something, but Parang simply called it glowing jelly. She smeared the glowing jelly around the hole she had emerged from. Then, she descended about 500 meters and could still clearly see the blue ring. The performance was very satisfying. Parang smeared more glowing jelly on a nearby pillar. Marking her path this way ensured she wouldn¡¯t get lost. She felt like Hansel and Gretel. How long had she wandered the cave like this? Finally, ¡®it¡¯ came into Parang¡¯s view. Chapter 21: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (2) Chapter 21: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 21 Thanks to what Xiao had told her, Parang knew what kind of entity occupied this space. A starfish. One of the most famous non-fish marine creatures. Its soft, star-shaped form was now an indispensable element in illustrations of shallow seas. At first glance, it appeared cute, and many people kept them as pets. But what appeared before Parang was the most horrifying form a starfish could take. ???¡­!!!¡­¡­¡­!!!???¡­¡­ An irregular, chaotic noise. Its volume, pitch, tone, and even sound quality seemed to change constantly as it moved. Parang¡¯s ears were not deceiving her. With countless heads making sounds one after another, it was no wonder it sounded like that. The three-thousand-legged monster, Gorgon. Oceanos had traveled the world¡¯s seas, encountering and hunting all sorts of monsters. As such, the topic of ¡°What is the strongest monster?¡± often came up in conversation. Excluding the Kraken, this debate was so fierce it never ended. However, when it came to ¡°What is the most grotesque monster?¡± everyone agreed. It was the Gorgon before Parang. The original three-thousand-legged creature had five legs, with countless tentacles branching from them, hence the name. But the Gorgon had replaced its tentacles with ¡®heads.¡¯ The heads of the creatures it had devoured. ??¡­!!¡­¡­?!!??!!! Five massive legs. From these, countless tentacles branched out like tree branches, writhing chaotically. At the ends of these tentacles were the heads of Bellua, Galecus, Makula, and thousands of other monsters, each moving erratically. It looked like a tree with heads instead of leaves. From above, it resembled a massive tumor growing from the ground. The largest leg, extending from its body, was 150 meters long. Like the Tubuka, starfish-type monsters were measured by the length of their largest leg, not their body length. Considering the original species was about 8 cm, its gigantism was grotesque. Given its size, the heads sprouting from its legs were also proportionally large. Parang hid herself for the moment. Xiao had asked her to confirm something. ¡®I couldn¡¯t see it in detail because the connection with the skeleton was cut off as soon as I approached.¡¯ This information couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡®There was something resembling a human face on one of its legs.¡¯ If she summoned the Kraken, it would immediately start to flee. There would be no time to capture and observe it leisurely. Parang hid behind a nearby rocky pillar and began to inspect each of the outstretched legs one by one. Some were familiar, others were not. However, what Parang was specifically looking for had not appeared yet. The Gorgon was already the apex predator in the monster ecosystem. In this closed environment, it had no natural enemies and lived as a tyrant, so it had no reason to be cautious. It stretched its body leisurely outside. Thanks to this, Parang could observe each leg meticulously. While she was doing this, a monstrous anglerfish drifted through the red water and approached. It opened its massive jaws, displaying the menacing teeth on its lower jaw. Each of those teeth was about 10 meters long. As it neared the Gorgon, ¨C Wham!! ¨C S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One of the Gorgon¡¯s massive legs shot out like a bullet and ensnared the anglerfish. ????!!!! The anglerfish realized too late that it had encountered the Gorgon and struggled to escape, but it was already too late. The writhing heads on the Gorgon¡¯s legs simultaneously turned to stare at the anglerfish. The anglerfish¡¯s struggles ceased as if it had been paused. Petrification. An excessive power for a living creature. The heads attached to the leg holding the prey each sank their mouths into the anglerfish¡¯s body, sucking its blood. They needed to get their share before delivering the prey to the main body. After a while, the anglerfish, now riddled with various holes, was released from the heads. It looked like a sponge. Then, the Gorgon¡¯s massive leg slowly began to coil back towards the center. Unlike typical starfish, the Gorgon lived with its mouth facing upwards. A circular hole, resembling a squid¡¯s mouth, opened wide. As the coiled leg brought the anglerfish to the opening, ¨C Crunch!! Crunch!! ¨C It began to chew the anglerfish. Flesh, fins, teeth, bones¡ªall were crushed and chewed. The anglerfish was sucked inside and ground up like in a blender, soon disappearing from sight. Then, from the leg that had just captured the anglerfish, ¨C Crunch!! Crack!! ¨C The sound was like a bug being crushed underfoot. ???!!¡­¡­¡­ The head of the anglerfish that had just been devoured burst through the shell and grew out. It looked like a plant stem breaking through the soil. Now part of the Gorgon, it swayed along with the other heads. At that moment, Parang concluded her observation. She had found what she was looking for. ¡­¡­¡­!! A human face, contorted in pain, was clearly growing from one of the Gorgon¡¯s legs. The once-beautiful platinum hair was now sparse and patchy, having been dragged across the ground by the Gorgon¡¯s movements. The face, which must have been that of a slender beauty, was now grotesquely crushed. Judging by its condition, it had been at least three weeks since this person had been devoured by the Gorgon. If the head had been intact, Parang might have attempted to identify it, but in this state, there was no choice. Fortunately, it seemed not to be completely mangled. If she could just cut off the head and bring it to Xiao, they could identify it and even access the person¡¯s memories. Although, for humanitarian reasons, they usually avoided such extreme measures. Having made her decision, Parang moved swiftly. ¡­¡­??!!! Parang first gauged the Gorgon¡¯s awareness. If it weren¡¯t for that head, she could summon the Kraken and absorb it immediately. The Gorgon was fast. When it needed to catch prey or flee, it moved violently, not caring if the heads on its legs were crushed or mangled. If she provoked it and the head was crushed, it would be a disaster. Parang took a moment to consider. Hmm, perhaps a surprise attack was the only option. She distanced herself from the Gorgon and circled around the cave to the leg where the head was located. She hid behind a rocky pillar in front of that leg. Peeking out cautiously, she saw the target head not too far away. Taking a deep breath, Parang prepared herself. Bubbles rose with a soft gurgling sound as Parang shot forward like a bullet. ¨C Swish-!! ¨C Immediately, all of the Gorgon¡¯s heads turned towards Parang. This was expected. If turning their heads delayed their reaction time, it was an advantage for Parang. Petrification? [Skill, ¡®Unsinkable Ship¡¯ is activated.] Such a trivial debuff had no effect on Parang. In reality, it was far from trivial. Among the Oceanos, only Parang and Diego were completely immune to petrification. Others might not be fully immobilized but would still experience significant slowing. Why did Diego give up? He simply didn¡¯t want to deal with the Gorgon. Even if he picked up an artifact, Diego couldn¡¯t use it properly since artifacts couldn¡¯t be enlarged. That¡¯s why, upon hearing about the Gorgon, the entire Oceanos team, except Parang, had withdrawn. ¨C Swish- Slash-!! ¨C Parang¡¯s spear swiftly severed the targeted head. The flesh, already rotting from the inside, fell away, leaving only the bones. Swimming at a tremendous speed and being underwater likely contributed to this. Unable to bite through the monster¡¯s shell with human teeth, the nutrient supply had naturally been cut off. The more she thought about it, the more tragic the end seemed. This made Parang furious. That wretched fish dared to do this to a human. If it wanted to cause such havoc, it should have done so among other monsters. Of course, the question of how a human ended up here should have come first, but Parang was still human. Seeing a person in such a pitiful state right before her eyes instinctively made her feel terrible and angry. And she could always find out how they got here later. For now, her focus was on that damned starfish. ¡°¡­Kraken.¡± Holding the now skull-only head, Parang summoned the Kraken. Her fierce expression, combined with the vertical pupils that appeared when she transformed, made her entire face radiate pure rage. ???!!!¡­¡­!!!??!!¡­¡­!!! And then the battle ended. As the Kraken appeared, the Gorgon, which had been about to flee while screaming, was caught by the tentacles and torn into five pieces. Inside, blood, flesh, bones, and partially digested pieces of meat fluttered about chaotically. Soon, the Gorgon was transformed into the Kraken and disappeared into some unknown abyss, leaving only Parang and the skull behind. All the teeth were shattered; there was not a single intact part left. Parang managed to suppress the emotions welling up inside her once more. Fortunately, apart from that, the preservation state of the rest was relatively good. Parang offered a silent prayer for the departed soul and then began to carefully search the cave to recover the artifact. ¡ª Chapter 22: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (3) Chapter 22: The Protagonist Hides the Artifact (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 22 ¡®It should be around here somewhere.¡¯ Parang scanned the surroundings with cold eyes. After a while, she finally noticed a faint yellow glow emanating from a distance. Hurrying towards it, she realized why it had taken so long to find. It was much smaller than she had anticipated. ¡®This is¡­.¡¯ It was an earring, crafted from a top-grade mana stone with a blue hue, shaped into a ring. Like a legendary item in a game, the earring emitted a yellow glow. A divine artifact. This phenomenon occurred with only the highest-grade artifacts. Parang pondered. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Her memory was fuzzy. Although this artifact was frequently used in the original story, there were over fifty artifacts mentioned, making it confusing. Thus, she deliberated! In the little library inside Parang¡¯s mind, tiny mini-Yu Parangs scurried around, pulling out books and reading them. Then, suddenly, a mini-Yu Parang at the top of a precarious ladder raised a book triumphantly! ¡°Found it!!¡± The mini-Yu Parangs gathered at the bottom of the ladder, each chiming in. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°What could it be?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The Yu Parang at the top held the book aloft with both hands. ¡°It¡¯s Departure!!¡± The mini-Yu Parangs at the bottom finally exclaimed in unison, ¡®Oh, I see.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s Departure!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Departure!¡± ¡°It was Departure!!¡± Then, stepping out of her mind, the larger Yu Parang. She gazed at the artifact and muttered. ¡°It¡¯s Departure.¡± The third-ranked member of the Slayers, the second woman of Hunter Han Siwoo. The strongest spear-wielder, Olivia Cloverfield. It was the first artifact Hunter Han Siwoo had ever gifted her. The scene where Han Siwoo handed over these earrings at the climax of the story was one of the novel¡¯s most memorable¡­ or not. By the time the earrings were being crafted, 70% of the readers had already guessed, ¡®Those are going to Olivia.¡¯ Of course, Parang had thought the same. Anyway. The name of these earrings was [Departure]. Ironically, Olivia, who had originally been a sailor, never boarded a ship again after receiving these earrings. It was one of the reasons Parang had read the novel to the end. She had a small hope that Olivia might sail again someday. Although, mostly, it was just a good way to pass the time. Parang looked at Departure lying on the ground. An artifact of this caliber would undoubtedly have anti-theft measures. And top-notch ones at that. For an ordinary person, just touching it would likely drive them mad, burn them, or even cause them to explode. But this was underwater, and the one attempting to retrieve it was Yu Parang. [Skill, ¡®Aqua Cleanse¡¯ is activated.] The curses began to wash away from the earrings before her eyes. Like a tissue soaked in paint releasing its colors in water, the artifact, steeped in all sorts of enchantments, was expelling them into the water. Black, green, red, yellow¡ªcurses of various colors dispersed. ¡®They really put a lot on this.¡¯ Even a rough count by Parang¡¯s eyes revealed twelve different curses. After about five minutes, Departure expelled its last security enchantment. Parang picked it up. Then she attached it to her ear. The yellow glow subsided. This meant it was properly equipped. An invaluable treasure. Especially for Parang. True to its name, [Departure], these earrings could transform the surrounding environment into one akin to the sea. Additionally, they offered various options like underwater breathing and stat boosts in water, but those were irrelevant to Parang. This was the reason underwater action scenes could appear in the original novel without actually going to the sea. Anyway, such a treasure was now in Parang¡¯s possession. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ability to fill any space with water at any time. The benefit this provided to Parang was beyond words. It was the ultimate buff. In the original story, it was used more often as a wide-area debuff, which was ironic. Parang uttered a line she had always wanted to say. ¡°Lucky me.¡± She was indeed lucky. Being an earring, there would be no issue wearing it during a broadcast. Parang had been worried that it might be a weapon. Why? Because using a weapon would prevent her from broadcasting. To Parang¡¯s knowledge, no divine-grade artifacts from the Slayers had been discovered yet. Divers usually retrieved low-grade items like C~B grade artifacts, jewels, or gold bars. If news spread that ¡®An amazing artifact belonging to a member of the Slayers was found underwater!¡¯, people would dive into the deep sea in droves. Parang had even considered passing the artifact to someone else to avoid such a situation. That was also why she hadn¡¯t started a broadcast this time. Being 4km underwater, she couldn¡¯t operate her phone to stream. If she had started a broadcast, this scene would have been live-streamed. That was unacceptable. Anyway, Parang began to ascend, following the path marked by the glowing jellyfish. Before long, ¡®Oh, this!¡¯ She spotted the ?-shaped monster she had encountered in Aurita¡¯s territory. Parang quickly took out her phone to check the list Vertea had sent but paused. Her phone was unresponsive. Right. She was over 4km deep. She tried to reach the cave ceiling but couldn¡¯t quite touch it. Should she go all the way up the passage to check and then come back down? No way. The claustrophobic passage had almost given her a panic attack on the way down. The thought of going out and coming back in was out of the question. She decided to rely on her memory. Parang quickly made up her mind and rummaged through her thoughts. ¡®What did Vertea say to do?¡¯ Once again, the mini-Yu Parangs in Parang¡¯s mind library scurried around busily. A mini-Yu Parang with round glasses, flipping through a book frantically, raised a hand and shouted. ¡°Here, found it!¡± The other mini-Yu Parangs crowded around, asking what it was and what they were supposed to do, causing a commotion. The glasses-wearing Yu Parang pounded her chest and said, ¡°Extract the eyeballs!¡± ¡°Oh!!¡± ¡°Eyeballs!!¡± ¡°As expected!!¡± The gathered mini-Yu Parangs exclaimed in admiration. The glasses-wearing Yu Parang, being tossed in the air in celebration, wore a beaming smile of happiness. And then the larger Yu Parang outside recalled the memory. ¡®Right, I was supposed to extract the eyeballs.¡¯ Parang approached the ?-shaped monster and swiftly dismembered it, leaving only the eyeballs intact. She then drove a spear into the eyeball and, using it as a lever, smoothly extracted it. ¨C Plop. ¨C The eyeball came out cleanly, as if a Lego piece had been detached. Parang tilted her head at the bizarre sight. Was this correct? She decided to quickly ascend and contact Vertea. Parang began to forcefully squeeze her way back up through the passage. As soon as she emerged, she texted Vertea. She detailed the sound and feel of extracting the eyeball and added her personal opinion that it didn¡¯t seem like a living creature. Then a thought occurred to her. Couldn¡¯t she have checked if it was a living creature with the Kraken? How did she forget that? She must have been too excited about extracting the eyeball and forgot. In her mind, the glasses-wearing mini-Yu Parang was already being beaten up by the other Yu Parangs. Parang looked at the hole she had come out of. And then she gave up. How could she go back in there? She would rather die. She figured there would be another opportunity and just surfaced. # ¨C Munch munch. ¨C Parang was mercilessly devouring a Lotus biscuit while Xiao looked at her with a slightly pitiful expression. What was she supposed to do if it was delicious? Parang continued to inhale the biscuits without making eye contact. Dipping them in coffee made them even better. ¡°So, this is the skull?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Xiao pondered, looking at the skull, which clearly appeared to be a human skull, placed on the dining table. Even though Parang was eating cookies right in front of it, their tolerance for such things had long surpassed human limits. They could enjoy a meal even if it was served from Lesius¡¯s pocket. ¡°Still, with this level of preservation, simple identification and a ¡®Dive¡¯ should be possible.¡± ¡®Dive.¡¯ It was Xiao¡¯s unique skill. It allowed her to dive into the memories of the deceased while underwater and experience those memories. Of course, this only worked underwater. If Xiao could do it outside of water, she would already be an S-rank hunter. Ah, but this didn¡¯t mean they had to dive back into the sea to identify the skull. ¡°Have you finished eating?¡± Parang quickly stuffed ten Lotus biscuits into her pockets and nodded. Telling her to buy them herself if she liked them so much was pointless. Lotus biscuits lost their taste the moment you bought them with your own money. They were the most delicious when eaten for free. Anyway, Parang, having swept up the free cookies, stood up from the table and stepped back. ¨C Click, click. ¨C Xiao manipulated a controller from who knows where, ¨C Clunk¡ª Whirrrr. ¨C The table in the center of the circular living room sank down. The wooden floor¡¯s center opened up in a circular pattern, like a camera aperture. Below was a pool of rippling blue water. It was Xiao¡¯s multi-purpose tank. It was larger than the biggest tank in most aquariums. After all, she had converted three entire floors of the building into a tank. ¨C Splash. ¨C Xiao dove into the tank with perfect form. Parang also took off her suit, neatly folded it, and holding the skull, jumped in with a splash. ¨C Whirrr. ¨C The floor closed, and the round table rose back up as if it had never disappeared, restoring the living room to its previous state. Chapter 23: Have You Been Following Me All This Time? (1) Chapter 23: Have You Been Following Me All This Time? (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 23 The space was filled with various experimental tools scattered around. The scene, packed with machines of unknown purpose, felt like the underground lab of a secret organization. From suspiciously large machines, three times the size of a person, to tiny flasks that seemed barely capable of holding anything. The sight of various advanced tools filling the vast space was overwhelming, even slightly eerie. The fact that the entire space was submerged in water added another layer of bizarre atmosphere. And in the center of the underwater lab. In a circular space deliberately left empty amidst the clutter of experimental tools, Xiao and Parang stood facing each other. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao picked up the skull in question and activated his skill. It wasn¡¯t a ¡®Dive,¡¯ just a simple identification check. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Parang watched Xiao intently. In front of her eyes, the status of the skull¡¯s owner would appear. Xiao, rolling his eyes as if reading something floating in the air, began to speak. ¡°Matilda M¨¹ller. An S-rank hunter. Judging by the name, she¡¯s German, and her personal skill is ¡®Berserk¡¯.¡± Xiao recited the basic information. A personal skill was akin to a hunter¡¯s identity. Awakening it meant being recognized as an ¡®Awakened.¡¯ Of course, the strength varied greatly depending on the grade of the personal skill. Once awakened, it couldn¡¯t be changed. Unfair? Unfortunately, this world was like an OP novel. The suffering of others due to inequality was of no concern. Parang¡¯s ¡®Daughter of the Kraken¡¯ was an S-rank personal skill. A hunter¡¯s fighting style was mostly determined by their personal skill. Naturally, hunters were remembered by their fighting style, so the personal skill itself often became synonymous with the hunter. For instance, Xiao could be referred to as the ¡®Ghost Captain¡¯ instead of Xiao. And Berserk, Matilda M¨¹ller, was someone Parang already knew. She was a character from the original story. Matilda M¨¹ller appeared as a villain. With a fairly ordinary ability and a moderately pretty appearance, though not quite a heroine, she picked a fight with Hunter Han Siwoo, saying, ¡®An A-rank like you¡­!¡¯ only to be defeated and exit the stage. That incident marked the beginning of the protagonist gaining the title ¡®An A-rank hunter who overwhelmingly defeated an S-rank hunter!¡¯ and drawing the world¡¯s attention. Parang had come across the news article online before. Well, she had just skimmed the headline and moved on. By that time, she had long lost interest in the original story. It was something like, [S-rank Hunter¡¯s Humiliating Defeat¡­ Exclusive Interview with Rising Supernova Han Siwoo]. From that point on, there was no news about Matilda. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for hunters to suddenly disappear. The higher the rank, the more enemies they had. She must have been ambushed while weakened from losing to Hunter Han Siwoo. However, the conversation Parang had with Xiao next was enough to shake her to the core. ¡°Matilda M¨¹ller¡­ I don¡¯t know her. She must have been on the lower end of the S-rank.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one, you know. The one who challenged Hunter Han Siwoo when he was still an A-rank and got humiliated.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken? That person was Chinese.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The S-rank who picked a fight with Hunter Han Siwoo when he was an A-rank. It was Li Shunfei.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it was.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not the one who¡¯s mistaken, Xiao?¡± ¡°Why did the topic suddenly shift to this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important. Look up some related articles.¡± Parang also pulled out her phone and started searching frantically. ¡°Here it is.¡± Xiao was a bit faster. Parang took her phone and read the article carefully. [S-rank Hunter¡¯s Humiliating Defeat¡­ Exclusive Interview with Rising Supernova Han Siwoo] [The recent duel between two hunters at the Seoul branch of the Hunter Association has become a hot topic¡­ ¡­Following his defeat in the duel with Hunter Han Siwoo, the Chinese hunter Li Shunfei¡­] Sure enough, Matilda¡¯s name wasn¡¯t mentioned anywhere in the article. ¡®The original story has twisted.¡¯ Since when? And more importantly, why? Parang had deliberately avoided getting involved with the protagonist¡¯s party. She hadn¡¯t taken even a minor fortuitous encounter and hadn¡¯t spoken to any of the main characters. As the only one in this world capable of altering the original story¡¯s flow, Parang had never interfered with it. So why? How? ¡°I think we need to do it. ¡®Dive.¡¯¡± ¡°Huh? A Dive? Is that really necessary?¡± Xiao speculated that Matilda had died at sea and drifted into the Hive on a current. There were indeed several massive currents leading into the Hive from the South China Sea, though they didn¡¯t exist on Earth as we know it. He had never felt the need to ride those currents into the Hive himself. ¡°Please, just this once. It¡¯s really important.¡± ¡°Well¡­ if you insist that much, I guess I can¡¯t refuse.¡± Xiao carefully held the skull with both hands, and Parang placed her hand on the back of Xiao¡¯s hand. Then they dove into the skull¡¯s memories. With a splash, their vision shifted. Parang momentarily set aside her thoughts about the original story. The information they were about to uncover couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. She had a feeling that this could be the beginning of something significant. When she opened her eyes, they were in a dark space. It was Matilda¡¯s perspective. ¡°It¡¯s too dark to see anything,¡± Parang said. Since she and Xiao were sharing a dream of sorts, they could communicate. ¡°Yeah. Where is this?¡± ¡°When is this?¡± ¡°Three hours before her death.¡± ¡°Rewind a bit more.¡± But even when they rewound, nothing changed. For three hours, there was no movement, just darkness. Then, the terrifying wail of a Gorgon was heard, followed by a crunch, and the memory ended. ¡°Hmm. We might need to move forward in time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try ten hours before her death.¡± Again, just darkness. ¡°Let¡¯s go all the way back. As far as we can.¡± ¡°The maximum we can go back from the time of death is 24 hours.¡± Their vision shifted again, this time to a lit building. ¡°Let¡¯s fast-forward from here,¡± Xiao suggested. Time began to flow faster. Matilda, dressed in black special forces gear, was sitting in what appeared to be an office, listening to something with others in similar attire. Words like target, infiltration, ambush, and assassination flew by. Judging by the attire of the person giving the presentation, they were from the World Government. It was likely a mission to eliminate those who were obstructing the World Government¡¯s plans. But why was Matilda involved in this? ¡°Seriously, the World Government is so shady. Sometimes they¡¯re worse than Silo,¡± Xiao remarked, but Parang barely registered his words. She was in a state of extreme concentration. After the briefing ended, Matilda exited the building. She got into a van parked outside. ¡°Skip the travel part.¡± The scenery changed rapidly, and Matilda got out of the van. Eight other strike team members got out with her. A total of nine special forces operatives began moving quietly under the cover of darkness. In reality, Parang¡¯s body displayed a look of shock. She felt such an intense emotion that it manifested outwardly. No wonder. Parang stammered in a voice filled with astonishment. ¡°This is¡­ my village.¡± She hoped they would just pass by, but the strike team moved deep into the village without hesitation. The elders were light sleepers. The strike team moved to their target without being detected by anyone. The last thing Matilda saw was Parang¡¯s house. A shiver ran down Parang¡¯s spine in reality. One night, while she was sleeping, strike team members from the world government had come for her. With the keyword ¡®eliminate.¡¯ But how did she survive? No matter how skilled Parang was, it would be difficult to survive an ambush from that many people outside of water. ¡°Wait, slow it down from here.¡± ¡°I was about to do that. This is your house, right?¡± Simultaneously, Matilda¡¯s memories began to flow at their original speed. ¨C Zzzzt. ¨C ¡°This is Head. Beta Team. Report your status.¡± A transmission echoed from her chest. In response, someone who appeared to be a superior next to Matilda replied. ¡°Beta Team has arrived at the operation area. We will enter with Alpha and Gamma¡­¡± And then the response was cut off. Dozens of others appeared out of nowhere and ambushed them, pressing knives to their throats in an instant. ¡°What the hell, who are you¡­ ugh!¡± The superior¡¯s words were cut off. ¡°Be quiet.¡± A knife was immediately thrust into his throat. Judging by the situation, the ¡®superior¡¯ was stronger than Matilda. So, at least a mid-to-high-ranking S-class hunter. For someone to kill such a person in one strike, there were two possibilities. They were either incredibly strong or had top-notch equipment. Either way, they were extremely dangerous. And there were dozens of them. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Since when¡­?¡¯ Parang felt a shiver run down her spine. These people had infiltrated her home while she was away diving. She was weak outside of water, and she knew this well. That¡¯s why she paid extra attention to her home¡¯s security. She had spent quite a bit on security systems. Not as much as Xiao, but still substantial. If there had been an intruder, she would have known. How did she miss it? Then it hit her. ¡®The first broadcast day¡­!¡¯ That day, she had been so exhausted that she stumbled into her house and fell asleep immediately. And her absence from home was being broadcast live. ¡®Even so, the alarms should have gone off.¡¯ Moreover, that day was only a few days ago. The state of Matilda¡¯s body indicated she had been dead for at least three weeks. It didn¡¯t make sense. But it was an impossible event that had indeed happened. If they had wanted to, they could have killed Parang in her sleep. Fortunately, it seemed their intention was to protect Parang. Despite having ample opportunities, they hadn¡¯t killed her, and crucially, they were dealing with the World Government operatives who had been sent to assassinate her. While Parang was lost in thought, Xiao seemed to have found something and spoke to her. ¡°These guys are from Silo.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look here. It¡¯s the Silo Corporation logo.¡± Xiao paused the scene. ¡°Look closely. The guy right in front of you, on his left shoulder.¡± Parang looked carefully, and indeed, there was a small Silo logo. ¡°It really is.¡± That explained how they avoided detection. The security systems in Parang¡¯s house were Silo products. There was no other choice but to use Silo products. The security, home appliances, and electronics sectors had long been dominated by Silo. One by one, the nine World Government hunters, each with a dagger in their necks, were thrown into the sea one by one with a splash. And surprisingly, Matilda was still alive. [An overwhelming presence is nearby.] [Skill, ¡®Berserk,¡¯ is activating.] [Life force is dramatically increasing.] The skill activated only after she entered Parang¡¯s house and had a knife to her throat. Berserk was a personal skill that granted life force when near someone stronger than oneself. The greater the difference in strength, the more lenient the condition of ¡®nearby¡¯ became. If the other was only slightly stronger, they had to be close. If the other was overwhelmingly stronger, they could be far away. This skill was useful not only in combat but also in detection. The mere fact that she could confirm ¡®a strong presence nearby¡¯ made her a valuable asset to the strike team. She was a sort of canary. From here on, Parang didn¡¯t know, but Matilda was indeed assigned to the operation for this purpose. The World Government didn¡¯t skimp on resources. For a mission to kill a single B-rank hunter, they sent eight S-rank hunters and a canary to detect any unforeseen threats. They were thorough. Even if it meant using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, they ensured the nut was cracked. In response, Silo sent three times as many operatives and launched a surprise attack. They used the information they had on Matilda to equip their acceleration and assassination hunters with top-tier weapons to avoid detection. Of course, Parang wasn¡¯t aware of these behind-the-scenes maneuvers. But then, what did the window that appeared before Matilda mean? There shouldn¡¯t have been any ¡®overwhelming presence¡¯ nearby as the window suggested. Yet, it was true that Matilda was receiving a life force buff strong enough to keep her alive even with a dagger in her neck, thrown into the water. Parang and Xiao had a rough idea of the reason. ¨D¨D¡ª¡ª¡ª!! The night sea was far more dangerous than the day sea. This was because the layer of strange fish rose. And when the layer of strange fish rose, it meant they came closer to the surface. Something caught Matilda¡¯s vision as she sank helplessly. Current depth: 250 meters. A 12-meter sea turtle. It was a strange fish. Parang knew what it was. A 12-meter sea turtle was too small, likely pushed here by competition for food or habitat, taking advantage of the night. The creature was a sign of the rising layer of strange fish, indicating the presence of something overwhelmingly strong nearby. ¡®Isn¡¯t this way too shallow?¡¯ Even at a conservative estimate, it should have been at least 50 meters deeper. Parang made a mental note to investigate if there had been any anomalies in this area later. Regardless, the fact remained that the strange fish had come up this far. Speculating on possibilities for events that had already occurred was pointless; they needed to focus on the current situation. The sea turtle, which seemed too small to be a strange fish, was still labeled as an ¡®overwhelming presence¡¯ by Matilda¡¯s status window. Eventually, she was swallowed whole by the sea turtle. And then, darkness. It was the scene Parang and Xiao had seen right after the ¡®Dive.¡¯ Sea turtles were known for their long-distance, high-speed swimming. It likely wandered around the sea looking for a habitat, eventually moving with the currents. The sea turtle couldn¡¯t have passed through the path Parang had taken, so it must have traveled through the currents leading to the Hong Kong Hive, ending up in that space under the gas range. This also explained why the ¡®earring¡¯ was found there. Light accessories like earrings could easily travel with the currents. Xiao silently increased the playback speed. The same dark scenery. Matilda remained alive inside the sea turtle for about twenty hours before being eaten by a Gorgon, which led to her death. This explained the time discrepancy. Having been digested alive by the strange fish for twenty hours, Parang had judged that the body had been dead for three weeks based on the extreme damage. When the ¡®Dive¡¯ ended, both were speechless. They needed to organize the myriad questions swirling in their minds. Chapter 24: Have You Been Following Me All This Time? (2) Chapter 24: Have You Been Following Me All This Time? (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 24 Parang and Xiao silently watched the floor close with a whirring sound as they emerged from the tank and returned to Xiao¡¯s place. A table rose from the floor, and Xiao placed a basket of Lotus Biscuits on it. However, Parang wasn¡¯t in the mood to touch them. One of the three major powers that divided the world had sent a strike team to kill her, and another had deployed dozens of people to stop them. The fact that these two organizations fought each other was somewhat understandable. They had always been at each other¡¯s throats. If not for the issue of maintaining world order, the world would have already plunged into World War III. No one wanted to inherit a world ravaged by war, so they engaged in covert battles instead. The problem was that Parang was at the center of it all. Her mind was more confused than ever. She had a conscience, of course. She had done things, so when the World Government or the Hunter Association¡¯s top brass contacted her, she remained calm. But if their intention was not just recruitment or sponsorship offers, but assassination? Parang had already received an invitation from the World Government. She should abandon any thoughts of seeing a favorable outcome if she went. But if she didn¡¯t go? She still wouldn¡¯t see a favorable outcome. It was a no-win situation. Before her reincarnation, she had been an ordinary citizen. Even after reincarnation, her battles had been with sea monsters. The feeling of someone harboring malicious intent and targeting her life was a new and quite unpleasant sensation for Parang. To be honest, it was a bit frightening. She might be fine since she had obtained the ¡®Departure,¡¯ but what about the other members of Oceanos? What about Hunter Shin Yuna? The orphanage? The village elders? The World Government had sent nine S-rank hunters to kill her. Given that their elaborate plan had failed, it was almost certain they would target those around her next. It wasn¡¯t just a high probability; it was a certainty. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they had already made a move. Wait. Parang¡¯s thoughts came to a sudden halt. ¡®Why are my acquaintances still unharmed?¡¯ No harm had come to anyone around her, including those at Oceanos. She had exchanged texts with the orphanage director and Hunter Shin Yuna as recently as this morning, and the village elders were all in good health. If the World Government had truly decided to eliminate Parang, those people would no longer exist. At the very least, there should have been some harrowing stories like, ¡®We were attacked, but barely survived.¡¯ So, there was only one answer. Someone was secretly protecting them from the World Government. Most likely, almost certainly, it was Silo. Only Silo and the Hunter Association could fend off a full-scale attack from the World Government. They might even be cooperating. Even Silo couldn¡¯t ¡®perfectly¡¯ block the World Government¡¯s attacks alone. The idea that the World Government was going easy on her or deliberately holding back was absurd. Sending a strike team meant the World Government¡¯s intent was clear. Once they made up their minds, they didn¡¯t do things half-heartedly. Parang had no idea what was happening around her. The ¡®Departure¡¯ earring felt incredibly reassuring. Without it, she would have been too scared to even step outside. Xiao approached Parang hesitantly and spoke. ¡°If you want, you can stay a few more days¡­ but.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± A few bodyguards wouldn¡¯t be enough to fend off a serious attack from the World Government. It might even drag Xiao into the mess. Parang fiddled with the ¡®Departure¡¯ earring in her ear. ¡®If it comes to that¡­.¡¯ She could take it and storm the World Government herself. She could wipe them all out. She could slaughter them so thoroughly that they wouldn¡¯t even dare to speak. Parang was confident she could invade the World Government¡¯s Seoul headquarters, kill everyone inside, and walk out unscathed. That¡¯s the kind of being she was in the water. The moment she obtained the Departure, she became the strongest. But would those who ordered her assassination just sit idly by? Unless she ambushed and swiftly killed them all, they would use internal warp lines to escape to another city the moment they saw her with the Departure. And then it would be impossible for her to find them. How would she know if they moved to the French branch or the Argentine branch? She couldn¡¯t scour every country on Earth, tearing through governments. ¡®In the end, it all comes back to Silo.¡¯ Silo Corporation. They were as shady as the World Government, but they had protected Parang. As for the Hunter Association¡­ she wasn¡¯t sure. They likely didn¡¯t summon her for ordinary reasons either. Still, with the ¡®Departure,¡¯ she could at least ensure her own safety. Having roughly organized her thoughts, Parang packed her things and prepared to leave. Silo had secretly deployed a team of dozens to help her. She knew they had an office in Hong Kong. She planned to go there and knock on their door. Since they had come to her first, she had a reason to confront them. As Parang was about to step out, Xiao spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯ll help as much as I can from my side.¡± It was mostly just words, but she appreciated the sentiment. ¡°Thanks.¡± And so, Parang left Xiao¡¯s place. She took a deep breath and stepped forward boldly. There wasn¡¯t much righteousness or duty in her actions. And at that moment. ¨C Bzzz. ¨C A message arrived for Parang. The sender¡¯s number was restricted. cylo.co.kr/maps/@rtfk¡­ Upon checking the link, it led to the address of Silo Map. When clicked, it showed a route set to an incredibly tall skyscraper. Based on the circumstantial evidence so far, if Parang¡¯s prediction was correct, it was Silo who had contacted her. Should she go or not? Just a moment ago, she had been talking about barging in and causing a massacre, but being summoned was different from barging in. ¡®Still, it¡¯s probably right to go.¡¯ Parang made her decision. After all, Silo was the organization that had protected her, and to understand the current situation, it was right to make contact with them. Although the possibility was slim, she had an alternative in case an ¡®unfortunate situation¡¯ arose. Parang was about to head to the location marked on the map¡­ but then she hesitated. ¡®Hmm, I should probably do a check before I go.¡¯ She needed to confirm that everything was working properly. So, Parang moved to the dock for now. # ¨C Splash¡ª Splash. ¨C The sound of waves irregularly crashing echoed around the dock. Parang stood there. Knowing she would get wet later, she placed her clothes and towel far away. ¡®Departure!!¡¯ She shouted in her mind. ¨C Boom¡ª!!! S- A hemispherical space with a 10-meter radius around Parang filled with water as if a bomb had exploded. ¡®Hmm, as expected.¡¯ The surroundings were utterly devastated. Drums scattered around were flung far into the sea, and containers that weren¡¯t far enough away were crushed. ¡®Not something I can use in everyday life.¡¯ Not that she would need to use it in everyday life. It seemed better suited as an emergency escape tool or a hidden trump card. If she had to escape alive, she had no choice, but she couldn¡¯t go around sweeping a 10-meter radius clean in her daily life. As a model citizen, Yu Parang couldn¡¯t imagine causing such a public nuisance. Moreover, unlike skills, activation-type artifacts couldn¡¯t have their power adjusted. It was like how one couldn¡¯t decide to shoot a gun softly or hard. Of course, a production hunter of Han Siwoo¡¯s caliber could create artifacts with adjustable output. He had done so several times in the story. But Departure was an early creation. A pity. Parang clicked her tongue and deactivated the artifact. Then she trotted over to where she had left her clothes, dried herself with the towel, and roughly put on her clothes. Now, it was time for the real departure. Time to face Silo, those shady individuals. # ¡°Wow¡­.¡± The building was enormous. Parang craned her neck almost at a right angle to look up at the building before her. She still couldn¡¯t see the top. A skyscraper that seemed to pierce the clouds. Even though Parang fought creatures larger than this building daily, looking up at such a high-rise from outside felt different. To be honest, she felt a bit intimidated. Being out of the water made her feel slightly more vulnerable. Parang took a deep breath and stepped into the building. People around her glanced over. Bright blue hair was not a common sight. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since this was Hong Kong, no one recognized her yet, but even if they didn¡¯t know her as a broadcaster, a unique-looking beauty always drew attention. Moreover, Parang was dressed in her usual perfectly fitting suit. It was hard not to notice her. Regardless, the unintended superstar Yu Parang entered the Silo headquarters. ¡°Are you Hunter Yu Parang?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± As soon as she entered, an employee in a similarly stylish suit naturally guided her somewhere. Parang, already prepared to activate Departure at any moment, followed without resistance. ¡°Please go up to the top floor.¡± Parang stopped in front of an elevator in a somewhat ambiguous corner. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t tamper with the elevator just to catch her. She pressed the button for the top floor. ¨C Bzzz. ¨C The elevator began to ascend smoothly. Chapter 25: Lifting the Veil (1) Chapter 25: Lifting the Veil (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 25 ¨C Ding? ¨C With a classic bell sound, the elevator stopped at the top floor. When the door opened, only a white hallway stretched out before her. Parang tapped the wall. The dull thud indicated that the inside wasn¡¯t hollow. As she walked a bit further, a very cybernetic door with white metal and blue neon accents appeared. It was similar in style to Parang¡¯s home. Curious, she approached, and the door opened with a soft whir. The interior was also similar to Parang¡¯s home, a futuristic space with a harmonious blend of white and sky blue. The absence of aquariums, unlike her home, was the only difference, but the familiar decor made her feel slightly at ease. ¡®Oops, I need to stay alert. This could be a ploy to make me relax.¡¯ Still, it¡¯s hard not to feel comfortable in a pleasing space. The wall directly in front of Parang was entirely made of glass, offering a clear view of the city¡¯s nightscape. In front of it was a desk reminiscent of those used by CEOs in dramas. And seated there was a man in glasses and a suit. Contrary to her expectations, he looked very young, probably in his mid-twenties. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± His voice was gentle. It wasn¡¯t commanding or overbearing. It was simply a suggestion, as if standing would be uncomfortable. On the surface, he seemed to harbor no hostility. Still on guard, Parang sat down. Facing the man across the desk, the chair¡¯s height was just right, putting them at eye level. ¡°You must have many questions.¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± She had a lot she wanted to ask. ¡°We also have a lot to tell you. I¡¯m just not sure where to start.¡± That must be a lie. They wouldn¡¯t have called her here without organizing their thoughts. ¡°First, who are you? What¡¯s your position within Silo, and what information do you have?¡± That was a crucial point. ¡°Our internal hierarchy is quite complex. However, I can assure you that I possess a substantial amount of information.¡± An unsatisfactory answer. Parang stared intently at the Silo man. Sensing the atmosphere, he added, ¡°I can tell you that I know everything Silo knows.¡± If he knew everything Silo knew, he must hold a high position. Whether this was true would become clear as their conversation progressed. ¡°Why did you call me now, at such a perfect timing?¡± Right after Xiao¡¯s dive ended. As soon as Parang got involved in a suspicious incident, they summoned her. It was all too suspicious. The man answered her question. ¡°We didn¡¯t originally plan to meet you now, Hunter Yu Parang. However, it seems you witnessed something that requires an explanation.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Parang growled, lowering her voice slightly. ¡°We can eavesdrop on every sound in the world. Have you ever wondered why Silo lets other businesses operate freely but never relinquishes control over electronics?¡± They were eavesdropping. Shady bastards. She held back, considering the debt she owed them for saving her. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t originally plan to meet.¡± ¡°We initially planned to meet Hunter Yu Parang on August 4th at 2 PM.¡± August 4th at 2 PM. That was the time Manager Choi had told her to visit the Hunter Association. ¡°I was supposed to contact the Hunter Association then. You never even tried to reach out to me.¡± ¡°We did contact you. Manager Choi Janghyuk, whom you know, and Seo Sunwoo, the head of the Asian branch of the Hunter Association, are both our people who infiltrated the Hunter Association.¡± A massive piece of information suddenly dropped. But the man continued speaking nonchalantly. ¡°About a month ago, Igarashi Natsuko suddenly became the president of the Hunter Association.¡± Indeed, it was a sudden change that caused quite a stir. ¡°It was a kind of coup. She ousted the existing executives and seized power. During the chaos, we infiltrated Seo Sunwoo.¡± Parang had no idea. The fact that a top executive of the Hunter Association belonged to Silo was a revelation that could cause a massive uproar if exposed. ¡°What about Manager Choi?¡± ¡°He is an employee under President Seo Sunwoo.¡± His tone remained calm. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this out of the blue?¡± Parang asked, slightly taken aback. ¡°Yes. This is classified information on our side as well. And revealing this to Hunter Yu Parang means¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It meant they were desperate to gain her trust. The information just shared felt like an entry fee to open a dialogue with her. If that was the case, Parang felt inclined to show some of her cards to extract more information. After all, they had initiated the exchange. ¡°Why is the World Government trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with that.¡± Parang didn¡¯t want to lose control of the conversation. She was determined to learn everything she wanted to know before leaving. ¡°The reason they want to kill you is that you are a significant obstacle to their plans.¡± ¡°So, what exactly are those plans? If you¡¯re going to state the obvious¡ª¡± ¡°Your broadcasts, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t fully grasped the entire truth either. However, they want to push people into the sea.¡± ¡°What?¡± So, they tried to eliminate Parang because she was preventing people from going into the sea? ¡®No way, was my broadcast that influential? There were no comments in the chat about quitting diving, though?¡¯ Parang¡¯s puzzled thoughts were evident on her face. ¡°You seem confused. Would you like to see this?¡± The man tapped the desk, and a monitor rose from below. What appeared was a graph. ¡°Do you see this? After your broadcasts, the number of diving hunters has almost halved.¡± As the man said, the graph, which had been steadily rising, plummeted sharply at a certain point. The dates roughly matched the dates of Parang¡¯s broadcasts. ¡®I made an impact.¡¯ Parang felt a sense of pride. So, the World Government, for some reason, wanted to push people into the sea and thus tried to eliminate Parang, who was obstructing that. On the other hand, Silo protected Parang. Despite feeling proud, Parang growled. ¡°Then why are you protecting me? Moreover, you developed underwater cameras. Doesn¡¯t that mean Silo also wants to send people into the sea?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want people to go into the sea, Hunter Yu Parang. For the same reason as you. We developed the cameras to spread footage of people being attacked by monsters.¡± Parang froze momentarily but quickly regained her composure. ¡°The same reason as me? Do you even know what my intentions are?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there something down there in the sea?¡± Parang swallowed hard. ¡°We know there¡¯s something unprecedented that could bring chaos to this world. But that¡¯s all we know. We don¡¯t have more information than that.¡± It meant that Oceanos still had the upper hand in terms of underwater intelligence. In summary, the World Government wanted to push people into the sea, and Silo, trying to prevent that, sought out Yu Parang. It wasn¡¯t an unconvincing reason, but there was a critical flaw. ¡°Why does the World Government want to send people into the sea?¡± This part hadn¡¯t been explained. ¡°We don¡¯t know that either. To be honest, the recent movements of the World Government have been very suspicious.¡± ¡°I understand that it¡¯s suspicious. I¡¯m asking specifically how it¡¯s different from the previous World Government.¡± ¡°Their actions are rough and slow. They¡¯ve become incompetent. This incompetence allowed us to protect you and your associates thoroughly.¡± The World Government had become incompetent, but the reason was unknown. Parang made a mental note of this. She found herself momentarily speechless, as she couldn¡¯t think of anything else to ask. The initial questions she had when she came here were mostly resolved. ¡°It seems it¡¯s our turn to open the conversation now.¡± When Parang remained silent, the man spoke up. Parang looked at him as if to say, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s talk about ¡®Departure.¡¯¡± Parang flinched. ¡°I understand your surprise. You can relax. Our goal is purely to have a conversation.¡± Still, Parang didn¡¯t let her guard down. Who knew what might happen? ¡°We have two questions.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°First, where exactly did you find it?¡± After a moment of contemplation, Parang decided to be honest. It was better to reveal a bit and gain more in return than to awkwardly hide information and break the conversation. ¡°The South China Sea Hive. You know it? I even broadcasted it.¡± ¡°We know. It was impressive.¡± ¡°I found it deep inside. A colleague helped me.¡± ¡°Oceanos, right?¡± They already knew. As expected. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I see. The second question is actually the crucial one.¡± Parang tensed slightly. What was coming? ¡°The question I¡¯m about to ask is the main point. It¡¯s the biggest secret Silo is hiding and the reason we invited you today.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were about to reveal Silo¡¯s biggest secret to her. Parang read the hidden meaning. First, they were desperate. Desperate enough to reveal such a big secret to her. Secondly, Parang was also in danger. No organization, including Silo, would leave someone who knew their most important secret alone. In an emergency, they would force her to cooperate. For a moment, Parang¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve already figured that out. I won¡¯t deny it. However, the proposal we are about to make is not something that will harm Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Parang glared sharply, as if to say, ¡°Go ahead and speak.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point. Near that artifact, did you happen to find any other bodies or skeletons?¡± What did he mean by that? ¡°Other bodies?¡± ¡°Other than Matilda Mueller¡¯s body.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying there should have been a body there.¡± ¡°To be precise, we hoped there would be a body there.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Hoped for a body? Whose body¡­?¡± ¡°Olivia Cloverfield.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear. According to our information, the most likely place to find Olivia Cloverfield¡¯s body is near ¡®Departure¡¯.¡± The situation was becoming incomprehensible again. Why would someone who was supposed to have ascended be found as a corpse in the sea? As far as she knew, they had no connection to the deep sea even up to the moment of their ascension. Even in the scenes of ascension depicted in the story, there was no link to the deep sea. But what this man was saying completely contradicted that. ¡°The Slayers did not ascend, Hunter Yu Parang. They went to the bottom of the sea and died.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Parang¡¯s eyes shook violently. Hi everyone! I want to inform you that the release schedule for free chapters Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast will be adjusted from 4 Chapters a week to 2/3 Chapters a week depending on the release rate of the author, as currently the author is feeling burnout and taking a break. He is planning to take 1 week break, hopefully he can return and feel better than ever, and also continue to produce great chapter for this novel. Chapter 26: Lifting the Veil (2) Chapter 26: Lifting the Veil (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C26 ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear. And we are not mistaken either.¡± The screen that had shown the graph earlier switched. It was a world map that Parang was familiar with. However, there were red dots marked all over the map. ¡°These are the last confirmed locations of the Slayers Hunters.¡± The man pointed to various spots on the map and named them. The Arctic Ocean. ¡°Kang Yuri.¡± The South China Sea. ¡°Olivia Cloverfield.¡± The Caribbean Sea. ¡°Anna Popov.¡± The East Sea. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alexandra Carmen.¡± And so on. The man continued to point out the red dots on the world map, matching them with names. And the last one. Pointing to a red dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Silo man spoke. Geographically, it was Hawaii. ¡°Lastly, this is the location of Hunter Han Siwoo.¡± In this world, Hawaii is an island floating on the sea. Literally. It should be physically impossible, but a rock the size of Hawaii floats on the sea like a buoy. And no one on Earth questions this fact. Not even Yu Parang. This was never mentioned in the novel. So, what caught Parang¡¯s interest was the man¡¯s words. ¡°What do you mean by Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s location?¡± She had clearly seen him ascend with her own eyes, but Parang couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¡°That¡¯s right. They ascended, but at the same time, they went to the bottom of the sea.¡± ¡°Explain it so I can understand.¡± ¡°Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s ascension was carried out solely by Silo, excluding the World Government and the Association.¡± Up to this point, Parang knew this. Only Silo participated in Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s ascension ceremony for three main reasons. First. At the time of planning the ascension, neither the Hunter Association nor the World Government had the capability to perform the ceremony. Even Silo had to use most of its potential to conduct the ascension ceremony for the 15 Slayers. This was also a measure to balance the power among the three organizations. Second. Silo was founded directly by Hunter Han Siwoo, so the trust level was extremely high. There was no possibility of any trickery. Third. The number of people who knew that Hunter Han Siwoo would disappear from Earth had to be minimized. This was knowledge from the original work. But the man said something entirely different. ¡°We were curious. What exactly is this ¡®ascension ceremony,¡¯ and where and how does it ascend the subject?¡± Parang didn¡¯t know about that either. It was simply called ¡®ascension,¡¯ but it never mentioned where they were going. Readers vaguely understood it as a higher dimension, the sky, space, another planet, etc. It wasn¡¯t an element that hindered the enjoyment of the novel. Why didn¡¯t anyone question it? Because that was the nature of the novel. In a clich¨¦-ridden power fantasy, the protagonist and their party ¡®ascend.¡¯ People just assumed they would become powerful and didn¡¯t care where the ceremony led. They just thought, ¡®The author will explain it eventually¡¯. Even when the main story concluded with the ascension, there was no major uproar. An official side story was scheduled to be serialized. Who could have predicted that they would head to such an unexpected place as the ¡®seabed¡¯? For the first time since coming to this world, Parang deeply regretted not having seen that ¡®side story.¡¯ Well, in any case, the man in front of her and Silo seemed to have taken an interest in it. They viewed it from the perspective of those who didn¡¯t know this world was a novel. ¡°So, we used every available method to see where Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s ascension was heading.¡± He added quietly that this was, of course, agreed upon with the Slayers. ¡°We used helicopters, drones, planes, satellites, and even tracking devices. Surprisingly, most of them yielded significant results.¡± ¡°Why did you attach tracking devices? You must have known they wouldn¡¯t stay attached during the ascension.¡± ¡°We implanted them inside their bodies.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°According to our predictions, while the physical body changes during ascension, only one thing remains unchanged, the blood. So, we created nanometer-sized tracking devices and injected them into all the Slayers.¡± Tracking devices injected into the bloodstream. Parang felt dizzy. Surely, these guys didn¡¯t only use them on the Slayers. Parang, who usually showed her emotions on her face, was momentarily stunned. The man paused briefly, noticing her expression, but continued without further comment. He wasn¡¯t going to make excuses. ¡°Anyway, the destination of the ascension ceremony that we discovered using all these methods is right here.¡± The red dot precisely marked on Hawaii. ¡°This is the situation at the time. Take a look.¡± Another monitor rose beside the existing one. The video playing on it was something Parang knew well. It was the live broadcast footage of the Slayers¡¯ ascension ceremony. A pillar of light descended on them standing above the sea, and they ascended. Splash, crackle, and then the sky closed. The live broadcast on the news had ended there. But the video on this monitor did not. The perspective switched to that of a drone flying above the clouds. The pillar of light soared high into the sky, and the Slayers continued to ascend. The perspective switched again to footage from a satellite. The pillar of light extended into space. The Slayers kept ascending. And then¡­ They disappeared along with the pillar of light. It was as if the video had been intentionally cut off. Just, poof. Parang felt a strange sensation. It felt like they had been abducted by something. She couldn¡¯t explain why she felt this way. She just sensed something. Without even realizing she had ¡®sensed¡¯ it. ¡°In case you doubt it, this is the original footage.¡± Parang didn¡¯t doubt his words. She didn¡¯t think they would have tampered with the video after coming this far. ¡°At this point, the location signals of all the Slayers moved to beneath Hawaii.¡± ¡°The depth?¡± ¡°6 kilometers.¡± ¡°6 kilometers¡­¡± ¡°There is something under Hawaii, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Parang furrowed her brow at that point. It was something she had been curious about since the conversation started. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there.¡± That¡¯s right. Oceanos wouldn¡¯t have missed exploring beneath the Hawaiian Islands. After all, Russell lived in Hawaii. They had all gone beneath Hawaii. Recently, after Silo released underwater cameras, Russell had even posted a commemorative photo. 6 kilometers was indeed a deep depth, but it was a place Oceanos had definitely explored. And there was nothing there. No Hive, no objects, nothing. Not even monsters¡­ just water. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ nothing¡­¡± Parang found it strange as well. Why hadn¡¯t she found it suspicious at the time? Even if there were no Hives or objects, why were there no monsters in a sea teeming with them? ¡°It seems you have some idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± It could just be a coincidence. ¡°May I continue?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Parang took a moment. She needed time to process all the information coming in real-time. ¡°Anyway. The 15 Slayers stayed together at that point for about 5 hours. Then, one by one, they all moved to different seas around the world. Except for Hunter Han Siwoo. After that, all their location signals stopped. Most likely, no, almost certainly, they died.¡± Parang turned her gaze to the world map from earlier. The Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic, the Antarctic, and even a point in the East Sea next to South Korea. Parang quickly found the commonality. ¡°Hives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we brought you here.¡± They had moved to Hives around the world. Parang raised another question. ¡°Why here? What I mean is¡­¡± The fact that they ¡®moved¡¯ from Hawaii to seas around the world didn¡¯t surprise Parang. This was also in the original work. The Slayers ascended with an emergency escape device. An artifact that allowed them to teleport to a desired location once. In the original work, it was simply described as something they ¡®carried.¡¯ Now she wondered if it was also injected into their blood. Parang was curious why they teleported to ¡®Hives under the sea.¡¯ ¡°We don¡¯t know either. That¡¯s why we contacted Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Parang interrupted to summarize the conversation so far. The information she had gathered from the conversation with Silo was as follows: The Slayers disappeared during the ascension ceremony and reappeared 6 kilometers below Hawaii. During the 5 hours they stayed there, they encountered a situation where they had to use their emergency escape devices, and all but Hunter Han Siwoo used them. For some reason, they teleported to Hives in seas around the world and died. She had a rough idea of why they sought her out and why they wanted to protect her and Oceanos. Silo was currently dealing with something that killed the Slayers underwater, checking the World Government¡¯s efforts to lead people into the sea, and trying to uncover why the Slayers died. And what did Oceanos have? Unparalleled combat power underwater, a will to protect the world, and Xiao¡¯s ¡®Dive.¡¯ Parang and Oceanos could solve all the problems Silo was facing. So that¡¯s the situation, Parang thought. ¡°It seems you have a rough understanding. Then I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡± The man nodded slightly. ¡°First. Find the Slayers¡¯ bodies and view their memories. Second. Continue your broadcasts to prevent people from going underwater. Third. Discover what is beneath Hawaii and eliminate it from the Earth.¡± The second condition was something she was already doing, and the third was something she would do even without being asked. The monster that killed the Slayers¡­ Whether it was a monster or something else, if it was underwater, it was right to deal with it. Some might ask, ¡°In this situation, you¡¯re going to broadcast?¡± But isn¡¯t it true? Parang¡¯s broadcasts were actually preventing people from diving. If Silo tried to prevent diving by sealing off coastlines worldwide, the World Government might start a war that very day. For Parang, broadcasting wasn¡¯t a difficult task. To defeat whatever was under Hawaii that slaughtered the Slayers, she first needed information about it. To get that information, she needed to see the Slayers¡¯ memories. To see the Slayers¡¯ memories? She had to search the Hives around the world. Turning on the broadcast a bit during that process wouldn¡¯t delay things much. Ultimately, Parang was confident. No matter what had attacked the Slayers, she was sure she could win. Why? It stemmed from her knowledge of the original work. Among the Slayers¡¯ members, there was someone with the ability to have absolute superiority over ¡®inanimate objects.¡¯ Therefore, the Slayers weren¡¯t defeated by inanimate objects. So, what killed them was ¡®living beings.¡¯ And all ¡®living beings¡¯ underwater were beneath Parang. [Daughter of the Kraken (S)] [You cannot use this skill unless your entire body is submerged in water.] [You have overwhelming superiority over all marine life.] This was the description she saw when she first chose the ¡®Daughter of the Kraken¡¯ skill. Although it didn¡¯t appear in the original work, she chose the skill based on this description. How did she create a spear of air if she couldn¡¯t use the skill outside of water? It was a function built into her suit. Well, that¡¯s not the important part. Silo probably knew this to some extent and set the conditions accordingly. They must have concluded among themselves that Parang could do it and then contacted her. And they showed meticulousness by presenting ¡®conditions that aren¡¯t really conditions.¡¯ This made the request to ¡®view the Slayers¡¯ memories¡¯ seem like an additional condition. Of course, this wasn¡¯t all. They would need to share information occasionally, and sometimes her actions might be restricted. But even considering all that, there was a lot Parang could gain from Silo. ¡°What can you offer me?¡± In a way, it might seem like she was being bold, but Silo desperately needed Parang. They couldn¡¯t easily harm her. After all, Silo needed her in perfect condition. And ultimately, they needed Parang in the water. Who knew what she might face once she was in the water? Her prediction seemed to be correct, as Silo didn¡¯t mention ¡®final warnings¡¯ or ¡®last resorts.¡¯ ¡°We will provide everything Silo can offer. Funds, information, technology, protection on land, artifacts, skill scrolls, anything.¡± Parang grinned. It was more generous than she had expected. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s cooperate.¡± The Silo man also grinned. ¡°We¡¯re glad to have such a reliable ally.¡± And so, Atop the skyscrapers of Hong Kong, the city of endless festivities, an alliance that would shake the world was born. Chapter 27: To the East Sea Chapter 27: To the East SeaDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 27 ¡°Ugh¡­ Ah¡­¡± Yu Parang woke up feeling refreshed at home. After the meeting with Silo, she had returned home through the warp gate. Then she had a deep sleep. This was her state upon waking up. It was 2 PM according to the clock. She had gone to bed a bit late last night. Her mind was cluttered with many thoughts. The reasons behind the World Government¡¯s incompetence, the Hawaii issue, the Slayers, and the monsters¡­ Parang had ultimately failed to resolve these thoughts and succumbed to sleep due to overwhelming drowsiness. It was only natural that these thoughts were the first thing on her mind upon waking. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Had she slept too long? Her head throbbed, making it hard to focus. Throughout history, the best way to concentrate on thoughts alone was to take a shower. Parang stepped into the shower booth and turned on the water. ¨C Shwoooosh. ¨C As the water poured directly onto her face, Parang pondered. Silo Corporation was a gathering of the world¡¯s greatest intellects. If there was a conclusion to be drawn from the given information, they would have discovered it already. Therefore, she needed to use the knowledge and unique thinking only she, as Parang, possessed. As an underwater hunter and a reincarnator. First, she drew on her knowledge as an underwater hunter. The World Government was showing movements to push people into the sea. At the same time, they had become ¡®incompetent.¡¯ According to Silo, their actions had become rough. A keyword came to mind regarding this. ¡®Irrational.¡¯ It was the closest answer she could connect with the keywords she had. And considering that their purpose was related to the sea. ¡®Maybe.¡¯ A certain entity came to Parang¡¯s mind. But she quickly dismissed it. ¡®That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ Someone possessed by that entity couldn¡¯t maintain a government system and lead people to the sea, nor would it want people to come to the sea. The possibility of the World Government contacting that entity was close to zero. The conclusion was postponed again. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Next, the Slayers. They had clearly stayed underwater for five hours and then attempted an ¡¯emergency escape.¡¯ Imagine a rational person suddenly transferred underwater. Naturally, they would try to go ¡®up to the surface.¡¯ And that applied to the Slayers as well. If they had acted rationally, they should have tried to go up to the surface. If they had, they would have definitely surfaced. They had the ability to do so. But they stayed underwater for five hours. This meant they were in a situation where they couldn¡¯t come up to the surface. In Parang¡¯s mind, that ¡®situation¡¯ could only be a battle. So, what did they fight against? What defeated them? They had divine bodies. They wouldn¡¯t have been crushed by water pressure or had breathing issues. And then she added a bit of her knowledge as a reincarnator. Considering the Slayers¡¯ combat abilities based on the ending. ¡®I still¡­ don¡¯t know.¡¯ Throughout the entire original work, there were exactly ten underwater battles. All of them were conducted using Olivia¡¯s ¡®Departure¡¯. And as mentioned, ¡®Departure¡¯ is a wide-area debuff artifact. Its goal is not for the user to enter the water but to put others into the water. Although Parang used it for a very different purpose, originally, it was like that. So, the underwater battles in the story were either Olivia¡¯s solo show or had Hunter Han Siwoo slightly involved. Even those battles were just sweeping away minor characters who uttered lines like ¡°Grrr¡­¡± or ¡°Damn¡­ can¡¯t move¡­¡± on the way to the main villain. In other words, Parang had no idea how strong the Slayers were underwater. To find out, she would have to put the Slayers underwater, but she hadn¡¯t done that. Still, she could make a rough guess. Considering the last battle they fought before their ascension. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ At the very least, thousands of monsters like Rassius or Gorgons wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch the Slayers. Oh, of course, that applied to Parang as well. Parang thought of various strong monsters she knew. ¡®Ghost Ship, Chironex, Mobula, Brachium¡­¡¯ Each of them made Gorgons look like ¡®nothing.¡¯ But none of them seemed capable of holding the Slayers for five hours, let alone forcing them to use emergency escape devices. ¡®That¡¯ wasn¡¯t in Hawaii or even the Pacific, so it was out of the question. So, the last candidate remained. ¡®Kraken.¡¯ She had never seen the Kraken¡¯s main body, and strictly speaking, she didn¡¯t even know if the Kraken¡¯s main body existed. But if it did exist, and if the Slayers encountered it¡­ No, it didn¡¯t make sense. They wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold out for five hours. The conclusion returned to ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Nothing was coming together clearly. Parang let out a deep sigh. The waterproof clock on the bathroom wall showed it was already 3 PM. ¡°Three o¡¯clock?!¡± Parang was startled. She had been in the shower for an hour, just standing under the water. ¨C Shwoooosh. ¨C She hurriedly finished washing and stepped out. Then her stomach growled. She opened the refrigerator, but it was empty. Parang decided to go to the convenience store. She felt a bit strange. Like she was finally going to a place she should have gone a long time ago. It was too late, but she felt like she had to go there now. It felt like following an irresistible law of the world. Anyway, Parang headed to the convenience store in front of her house. # ¨C Ding. ¨C With a clear sound, the convenience store door opened. A brown-haired part-timer, who was sitting at the counter looking at her phone, casually greeted her¡­ but then stopped. If someone¡ªespecially the manager¡ªsaw this, they would be in trouble, but she didn¡¯t care about such things. ¡°Y-Y-Y¡­!!¡± Her idol, whom she had dreamed of, had walked into the convenience store. ¡°Are you Hunter Yu Parang?!!!¡± ¡°Uh, yes? Ah, yes.¡± Parang¡¯s face clearly showed the emotion of ¡®awkwardness.¡¯ ¡®A fan?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m a fan!!¡± She was a fan. Parang was always weak to people who clung to her with affection. Moreover, she was currently out of the water. The ruthless monster slayer Yu Parang was peacefully asleep in her heart. Right now, she was just Yu Parang. And just Yu Parang was weak to the so-called Energizer type. Therefore, meeting this woman named Lee Shia was the worst for Parang. In terms of compatibility, it was like a snake and a frog. ¡°Hunter Yu Parang, I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you!! Actually, I¡¯m a huge fan of yours, so I often capture screenshots of your broadcasts, print them out, and carry them in a notebook, where I sometimes take notes and draw. Look here, this is Galecus, this is Tubuka, this is Rassius. Oh, right. I loved the Rassius ASMR. I recorded it, and it¡¯s really great to listen to when falling asleep. If you ever do it again, could you make some bubbling sounds with your mouth? Oh my, look at me. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not usually this scatterbrained, but meeting Hunter Yu Parang in person is so exciting. If you need anything, just grab it from over there. Oh, wait, before that, could you sign this notebook? Use this pen. Write ¡®Hunter Yu Parang was here. To Lee Shia.¡¯ Thank you so much. I¡¯ll use this notebook for display now. It¡¯s okay, I have two more identical notebooks at home. One for appreciation, one for display, and one for business, but now I¡¯ll use this one for display. I¡¯m really a fan. I always watch your broadcasts!!!¡± Lee Shia¡¯s eyes were shining brightly. Switching to Parang¡¯s mind for a moment. ¡°Save¡­ me¡­¡± Among the many mini-Yu Parangs who had collapsed, drooling, the last one standing shakily wrote in the character notebook. Lee Shia, convenience store part-timer. Monster maniac. With that, the last mini-Yu Parang also collapsed. Her eyes rolled back, and her tongue stuck out, making her look like a martial artist from somewhere practicing their skills. Switching back to the main Yu Parang. She was repeating the same responses with a fixed expression. ¡°Ah, yes. I see. Really? Amazing. Ah, yes. I see. Really? Amazing.¡± Surprisingly, the conversation was flowing. And 30 minutes passed. After signing eight times, shaking hands five times, hugging three times, and taking thirteen commemorative photos, Parang finally bought two triangular kimbaps and a cup of ramen and left. Her confident interview with and her worst reunion with Lee Shia would come a bit later. # Back at Parang¡¯s house. She devoured the triangular kimbaps and cup ramen cleanly. With her stomach full, her mind started to clear up a bit. Her thoughts seemed to be organizing themselves. After thinking it over, she concluded that tackling this problem alone wasn¡¯t the best approach. As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Parang conveyed the conversation she had with Silo to Oceanos and Hunter Shin Yuna. She relayed the conversation to Oceanos without any omissions and to Hunter Shin Yuna with a bit of vagueness. There was no need to meet in person; she just sent a message via SiloTalk. In the past, they used basic encryption and discussed practical matters underwater to prevent information from leaking to Silo, but now there was no need for that. After all, there was an aspect of wanting to share some information with Silo. She slightly withheld information from Hunter Shin Yuna. Parang left out the details about Hawaii and the deaths of the Slayers, only mentioning the collaboration with Silo. This was for Hunter Shin Yuna¡¯s sake. The incident was too massive. She had a slight hope of not dragging her into this matter if possible. After that, Parang found herself caught up in another dilemma. It was because she noticed the calendar. Today was July 31st. The meeting with the Hunter Association (and the infiltrated Silo executive) was on August 4th. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had roughly finished discussing the collaboration with Hunter Shin Yuna, and as for the orphanage¡­ it seemed best to avoid going there. Even though Silo was watching over it, she had to assume the worst of the worst. She would probably have to send the meat by courier. That left her with two tasks to handle before August 4th. First, the subjugation of the statue in the East Sea. She planned to gather Oceanos for this, dedicating a whole day to it. Second, exploring the Hive in the East Sea. This involved finding the artifact and body of Adriana Carmen, a member of the Slayers. She planned to broadcast this, of course, hiding the purpose and results, only showing the exploration process. Which one should she tackle first? After resting her chin on her hand and pondering for a while, Parang reached a conclusion. Chapter 28: Train (1) Chapter 28: Train (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 28 (A screenshot of Parang¡¯s broadcast. The simple title ¡®East Sea Exploration Day 1¡¯ catches the eye.) It¡¯s real ?? ©¤Is she really exploring the East Sea Hive today? ©¤Who is she? ? (T-Tube link. A channel that edits and uploads highlights of Parang¡¯s broadcasts.) ? Wow, what the heck ©¤Is the East Sea the one I know? ? What other East Sea could there be? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Parang turned on the broadcast and spaced out for a moment. She was waiting for viewers to gather. Not all viewers join the broadcast within the first second, so this was a necessary process. Considering her first two broadcasts where she started talking immediately, this was a significant improvement. Thanks to this, viewers could enjoy some unexpected underwater ASMR. Fortunately, this time it was genuine ASMR. Soon, the broadcast screen, which showed the shimmering light pillars and blue void beneath the surface, made a clicking sound. ¡°Ah, ah. Can you hear me well?¡± ©¤?? ©¤What¡¯s with the voice¡­? ©¤Why is the video quality so good? ©¤What¡¯s with the screen? ©¤??????? Many viewers expressed their amazement and curiosity. And it was understandable. The broadcast screen they were watching was a culmination of the pinnacle of human technology. Silo¡¯s ¡®support¡¯ wasn¡¯t just words. They truly provided Parang with top-notch treatment. One of those was the broadcasting equipment. The video quality was as clear as seeing with one¡¯s own eyes, and the audio quality made it feel like being on-site. But what surprised the viewers the most was the screen. It was the usual first-person view, but viewers could click the ¡®switch¡¯ button in the bottom left corner. And lo and behold, the screen¡¯s perspective changed to third-person, showing Parang from a distance! To achieve this, Silo Corporation had added a dedicated broadcasting UI for her on their site. There was no problem with this. It was Silo¡¯s property, after all. This was also why Parang¡¯s broadcasts never got suspended. Underwater, Parang wore a bodysuit, her long blue hair flowing. ©¤What the heck, how did they do this? Parang didn¡¯t know either. How could she, an artist in both her past and present lives, know? ¡°I decided to collaborate with Silo Corporation. They made this broadcasting equipment for me.¡± The world¡¯s greatest intellects at Silo Corporation succeeded in combining the footage from the cameras attached to her body to reconstruct a third-person view in real time. And tada! ©¤Why is this rotating? ©¤Is this even possible? Her first-person and third-person cameras could rotate 360 degrees, just like manipulating a game screen. Of course, to protect Parang¡¯s privacy, zooming in was disabled. But zooming out was possible. To showcase the enormous size of the monsters, the view could zoom out to a point 100 meters away from Parang. From a certain point, the video switched from live footage to seamlessly integrated 3D modeling, making it possible. Thus, viewers could now see the full appearance of most monsters. Based on the various drawings Parang had made, Silo Corporation created 3D models of the monsters, objects, and Hives. There were as many as 300 of them. Parang received this while talking with the Silo man and leaving the building. She didn¡¯t know how long it took, but it meant they had prepared it in advance. It felt a bit unsettling, but well, it was for saving the world. She decided to let it go for now. Because of this, the broadcasting equipment Yuna had made became useless. Parang was worried that Yuna might feel hurt, so she asked for her opinion. ¡®No? It¡¯s totally fine!!¡¯ But Yuna said she was okay with it. It felt like she had received something from Silo too, but Parang hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask what it was. ¡®I should ask her after today¡¯s broadcast.¡¯ Parang added that to her mental notepad. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C Parang skillfully handled the question. ¡°We¡¯re going to explore the Hive in the East Sea. Just so you know, it¡¯s a long-term content, so we¡¯ll be doing it over three days.¡± ©¤How big is it that it takes 4 days at your speed? ©¤It¡¯s not 4 days, it¡¯s three days, you idiot. ©¤If it¡¯s 4 days, isn¡¯t it 4 days? A sudden debate about 3 days vs. 4 days erupted in the chat. In the past, Parang would have ignored it, but now, she was different. She had learned how to handle her viewers. From what she had observed, these viewers oddly enjoyed being mistreated by her. How else could it be explained? In just two broadcasts, Parang had pranked her viewers in creative ways. Yet, instead of getting tired or leaving, they kept watching her broadcast, screaming and shouting. The number of viewers was even steadily increasing! Compared to the first broadcast, the second broadcast had almost twice the viewers, and now, the number of viewers was three times that of the second broadcast. She could be called the white knight of the internet broadcasting world. So, the twisted nature of Parang¡¯s broadcasting environment was partly the viewers¡¯ responsibility. ¨C Tap, tap. ¨C She manipulated her phone to activate a one-on-one chat mode with a viewer. The viewer who appeared in the chat was nicknamed ¡®Glowing Monster,¡¯ the first to claim that three days equaled four days. She tapped her phone again, and soon, the permanent ban button for Glowing Monster appeared on the broadcast screen. With her hand hovering over the brightly lit green confirm button, Parang quietly asked the four-day advocate. ¡°How many days is three days?¡± ©¤It¡¯s three days, teacher. Isn¡¯t that obvious? ¡°Well done.¡± And so, the incident was settled. ©¤Does anyone have a clip of her saying ¡®well done¡¯? It¡¯s urgent, please upload it, I¡¯ll reward you generously. Temporary ban for this one. ©¤I got it, teacher. Temporary ban for this one too. ©¤50,000 won ¡®What is this¡­.¡¯ In fact, followers of Parang¡¯s voice had existed since her first broadcast. There were even videos on YouTube titled ¡®Yu Parang¡¯s Voice One Hour ASMR.¡¯ And they had quite a high number of views. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Viewers tended to be somewhat obsessed with her voice. Since most of the broadcast was in first-person view, viewers rarely saw Parang¡¯s face. But it wasn¡¯t that Parang¡¯s voice was overrated. Her voice was genuinely good. It was soft and pleasant to listen to, her tone was gentle, and her diction was very precise. (Of course, this was underwater.) Her voice was so good that it went beyond simple compliments like ¡®nice voice¡¯ or ¡®makes me feel good¡¯ to comments like ¡®addictive¡¯ and ¡®makes me happy just listening to it.¡¯ And broadly speaking, getting excited over Parang could be seen as a form of admiration. This made Parang feel a bit uncomfortable. Her lingering sense of being a man in her heart played a part in this discomfort, and even if it didn¡¯t, it felt like people were trading pictures of her body. No matter how accustomed she had become to handling viewers, it was still quite unsettling. And as a broadcaster with only two broadcasts under her belt, her true feelings sometimes slipped out. ¡°This feels bad¡­¡± It was such a small voice that it wouldn¡¯t have been heard if Silo hadn¡¯t upgraded her broadcasting equipment. Of course, she didn¡¯t mean to say it. No matter what, how could she say such a thing to her precious viewers? She was startled and quickly covered her mouth. But just as Parang was about to apologize. ©¤Wow, what was that just now? ©¤Teacher, one more time, please. ©¤Clip it, clip it, clip it, clip it. ©¤Teacher, please. ©¤150,000 won. The reaction was¡­ explosive. Even viewers who usually found the fuss over Parang¡¯s voice annoying joined in. ¡®What the heck. Why do they like this?¡¯ It would be a while before Parang understood what they were so excited about. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 30,000 won! ¨C A large donation burst out before she could even collect her thoughts. While Parang¡¯s income made the donation amount irrelevant, a larger amount still exerted an invisible pressure. The sound effect was loud and flashy, and the effects were extravagant. And since it was a request with a 30,000 won donation, Parang felt reluctant to just take the money without doing anything. It felt like stealing. Ultimately, she cared about her fans. She used harsh measures like Rassius ASMR to keep them out of the deep sea, but it broke her heart to mistreat them like that. (Not really.) So, the conclusion? She did it once more. ¡°This feels bad¡­ Is this okay? But why do you want me to do this?¡± ©¤Thank you, thank you. ©¤Wow, I got the clip. ©¤I have to go out for a bit due to an urgent matter. ©¤Me too. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Parang pondered. Judging by the atmosphere, it was very well-received, but she couldn¡¯t understand why they liked it. She recalled something Hunter Shin Yuna had told her before. ¡®The scariest thing in engineering isn¡¯t a malfunction. It¡¯s a normal operation with an unknown cause.¡¯ At the time, she didn¡¯t understand what it meant, but now, facing a similar situation, she had a rough idea. Well, at least it was functioning correctly. The viewers seemed to enjoy it¡­ ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to do this occasionally.¡¯ Parang thought. Around this time, a mysterious new group of viewers began to appear in her broadcasts. They were suspiciously wealthy, suspiciously polite, and suspiciously courteous. Anyway. That was that, and she still had things to do. After a bit more banter with the viewers, Parang said, ¡°I¡¯m going to start now,¡± and quickly dived into the sea. Just like in her first broadcast, the surroundings changed rapidly as she dived deeper. After passing through the familiar layers of monstrous creatures, which the viewers were now accustomed to, a bit of time passed, and then, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ©¤What the heck is that? ©¤That¡¯s really bizarre. ©¤Gives me chills. ¡°This is the Hive of the East Sea, ¡®Train¡¯.¡± The mysterious Hive of the East Sea revealed itself. Chapter 29: Train (2) Chapter 29: Train (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 29 ¡°The train you¡¯re looking at now is a structure made up of five cars, each with a width of 1 km, a height of 1.5 km, and a length of 7.7 km.¡± ©¤What the heck? ¡°When I looked it up, it¡¯s exactly 350 times the size of a typical steam locomotive. So, it¡¯s a train made for a person who is 700 meters tall.¡± The same specifications as the ¡®kitchen.¡¯ This applies to Hives around the world. It¡¯s one of the deep-sea secrets that Oceanos hasn¡¯t uncovered. Well, that¡¯s that. The viewers watching the broadcast couldn¡¯t think about the specifications of the Hong Kong Hive. Of course, they couldn¡¯t. No one could take their eyes off the train in front of them. It was so massive that it looked like a giant wall. If Parang hadn¡¯t told them it was a train, they would have thought it was a wall. ¡°It¡¯s the second-largest Hive in the world. The largest one is in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.¡± Actually, saying ¡°in the Mariana Trench¡± is incorrect. It¡¯s more accurate to say that the Mariana Trench itself is a Hive. Parang¡¯s voice was as calm as ever when she said, ¡°I¡¯ll visit there someday.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it grand?¡± Viewers wondered if such a simple word as ¡®grand¡¯ could truly summarize this sight. Well, for Parang, who came down regularly to manage it, it was almost like home now. She had even thought about wiping out all the monsters here and turning it into an underwater base. She failed at the stage of bringing in construction materials, though. Anyway, Parang planned to thoroughly search this train over the next three days. On the first day, she would explore cars 4 and 5, on the second day, cars 2 and 3, and on the last day, car 1. During this process, she planned to broadcast every detail of the ¡®train.¡¯ There were no creatures in the ¡®train¡¯ that could launch mental attacks through the monitor. Most of them were monsters that overwhelmed their opponents with sheer size. The larger the Hive, the stronger this tendency. Monsters that were stuck in a corner and occasionally ventured out had to use all sorts of tricks to keep their prey, but here, food came right into their mouths. In any ecosystem, those that try hard to ¡®bewitch¡¯ their opponents are the lowest in the hierarchy. Monsters that tried petty tricks were inevitably meals for the larger, more ferocious ones. Having finished her explanation, Parang set the course for the broadcast. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go in. Starting from the top car.¡± The ¡®train¡¯ seemed to be positioned horizontally, but it was actually slightly tilted, with the front lower than the back. Given its length of 38 km, even a slight tilt resulted in a 5 km height difference between the front and back cars. That¡¯s why she referred to the direction as ¡®up¡¯ rather than front or back when entering the train. And with a 5 km height difference, the monsters inhabiting the area were vastly different. She calculated that it would be beneficial for the broadcast to have more impactful monsters appear as they progressed. Parang increased her speed toward the first car of the train. ©¤If they¡¯re all big, at least there won¡¯t be anything too creepy, thank goodness. ©¤Are you new here? ©¤A newbie, huh? ©¤A newbie, indeed. ¡°You must be new here. There were quite a few viewers who had such brave thoughts.¡± Not anymore. After someone suggested a brilliant idea in the community, viewers who watched Parang¡¯s broadcast regularly kept oil paper nearby. It was to quickly cover the screen if needed. Some viewers hoped for an automatic filtering system while watching the 360-degree rotating screen. However, Parang and Silo agreed on showing everything as it was to discourage viewers from getting too comfortable, so they had to reluctantly keep their oil paper handy. Anyway, Parang arrived at the rearmost part of the train. It seemed like there were originally more cars behind, as the connectors between the cars were violently torn apart. Whether they really existed or it was just a pretense, she didn¡¯t know. In any case, Parang entered the train boldly. The chat reactions weren¡¯t explosive. ©¤Wow. ©¤What is this? A few short and sporadic messages popped up and then stopped. The viewers were too focused on the interior of the train to even think about chatting. They felt like tiny people in a giant¡¯s world, riding a train. The water inside the Hive was abnormally clear, with a deep blue tint, but clear enough to see from one end of the car to the other. So, they could take in the entire view of the train at a glance. Luxurious-looking chairs covered in fine fabric, checkered carpets, a snack cart in one corner. The elegant wooden tables, which had clearly been underwater for a long time, showed no signs of decay. It felt like stepping into a scene from a Western movie. Ringing the stylish bell on the table would summon a waiter with a towel draped over his arm to take your order, and you could almost hear the shouts of Indians chasing on horseback outside the window. Of course, this was assuming there were no monsters infesting the train. The train had literally become a city of monsters. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thousands of glowing white lights, possibly eyes, under the seats. Starfish covering the windows. Coral reefs and anemones larger than the monsters themselves growing in the seats. Whales leisurely swimming above, along with jellyfish of the same size. Familiar and unfamiliar monsters swimming gracefully in various places. All illuminated by a soft, deep blue light. The familiar space, strange colors, and bizarre items combined to make it feel like stepping into a disturbing dream. Parang gave the viewers time to fully appreciate this eerie space. So she moved slowly, like on a sightseeing tour, wandering around the train. Of course, her speed was a bit faster. No monster would pay attention to her just because she moved quickly. No lion would waste energy catching a mouse when gazelles and buffaloes were roaming in front of it. Whether the mouse was fast or slow didn¡¯t matter to the lion. So Parang could comfortably wander around the Hive and show the viewers the sights. Of course, she wasn¡¯t just playing the role of a tour guide. Duuuu- ¡®Still not caught¡­ Is it not in this car¡­?¡¯ The electronic sound coming from her chest. It was equipment given to her by Silo to find the bodies and artifacts of the Slayers. It worked by tracking the signal from a locator injected into the Slayers¡¯ blood. The blood of an awakened being was quite special, rarely leaving the body. Even as their bodies were being transformed into those of gods, the blood stayed firmly in place. Parang couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by Silo for extracting her blood. Anyway, if a Slayer¡¯s corpse was nearby, the device, which looked like a jewel under her neck, would beep and flash, signaling like a metal detector. It could scan up to a 200-meter radius around Parang. But no matter how much she wandered around the train cars, the device remained silent. Of course, Parang didn¡¯t expect to find what she was looking for in the first car. She had to explore all five cars for the broadcast anyway. Still, not finding what she was looking for was quite frustrating. It was like wanting to watch TV but finding there was no remote control. That mildly annoying and irritating feeling. Parang knew how to relieve stress in such situations. She charged at a dumb-looking monster swimming nearby. The Bambaspis, whose only crime was being next to an irritated Parang, looked at her with startled eyes. # ¡°Die, trash. Disgusting. Get lost.¡± The usually gentle and kind Parang was uttering terrifying words as she slaughtered the monsters. Not just fish, but crustaceans and mollusks too. She hunted one, then moved to the next nearby monster, repeating the process. And unlike her usual self, who would provide detailed explanations about the monsters, she only spat out words like, ¡°Die. Filthy. Dirty. Lowly,¡± as she cut down everything in sight. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she was a terrible person who would destroy everything just because she couldn¡¯t find the remote control. Parang actually wanted to conduct a high-quality monster-hunting broadcast with detailed explanations. However, ©¤More, more, more! ©¤Wow, today¡¯s broadcast is amazing. ©¤Yum, yum, why is this so good, yum, yum. ©¤Ddu, ddu, ddu, ddu, ddu, ddu, ddu¡­ The reaction was so explosive that she couldn¡¯t stop. Here¡¯s how it started. Parang, charging at the Bambaspis with a bit of annoyance, paused for a moment. She usually aimed for a high-end restaurant vibe in her broadcasts, slowly cooking and explaining each monster she caught. (At least, that¡¯s what Parang thought.) But now, she was swimming furiously to butcher the Bambaspis out of anger. She paused her swimming to explain. She had to explain. But coincidentally, there was nothing to explain about the Bambaspis! It was just a slightly dumb-looking fish that had grown larger, with nothing special about it. So Parang explained it as it was. ¡°This is a monster called Bambaspis. It¡¯s just a larger version of the original species, with no special abilities.¡± Then, the annoyance she felt earlier surged up, and she let out a few more words. ¡°It¡¯s useless, worthless, and pathetic. It would have lived its whole life with that dumb expression, so I¡¯m doing it a favor by ending its pointless life.¡± The chat exploded. The viewers loved it. Seeing that, Parang had an ¡®Aha!¡¯ moment. She decided to occasionally say harsh words since the viewers liked it, but she still felt bad about being rude to the viewers who enjoyed her broadcast. It would be less guilt-inducing if the viewers liked it, but not all of them did. So she was wondering what to do when she thought, Why not say harsh words to the monsters? She experimented by catching a few more nearby monsters and saying harsh words, and the reaction was explosive. This way, Parang made the viewers happy, the mysterious group of harsh-word lovers got their reward, and other viewers could enjoy watching the monsters being swiftly and satisfyingly cut down. A utopia where no one gets hurt except the monsters. Yoo Parang, where are her limits! Of course, Parang was currently struggling to control her itching mouth while slicing through the monsters. ¡®Ah, I need to explain this. Ah, this one is really dangerous.¡¯ ¡°Inferior species. Trash. Don¡¯t mess with humans.¡± But due to inertia, she kept on berating them. It was good, but she thought she needed to moderate it. She decided to do it just for today and then seal it away for a while. But when should she stop? She had already butchered 10% of the monsters in the first car. It was time to hold back. Just then, a timely donation popped up. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1213 won! ¨C It was a rude message, but Parang smiled. It was because of the oddly specific amount of 1213 won. December 13th. Oceanos¡¯ founding day. Which one of the five could it be? She¡¯d have to ask later. Whoever it was, they did her a favor. She decided to treat them to something nice. ¡°Something scary? Sure.¡± ©¤Don¡¯t do it, don¡¯t do it, don¡¯t do it. ©¤Who are you, damn it? ©¤Why are you happy about this? ©¤Aaaaah! ©¤The host¡¯s switch has been flipped, we¡¯re screwed, hahaha. ©¤Teacher, we¡¯ll do better, please spare us this once. ¡°No.¡± With a faint smile, Parang dove under the passenger seat. Chapter 30: Train (3) Chapter 30: Train (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 30 ©¤Aaaah! ©¤Damn, not there! ©¤Nooo!!! When the request to ¡®show something scary¡¯ came in, the viewers had a hunch. ¡®Ah, she¡¯s going under that seat,¡¯ they thought. The moment the broadcast showed the interior of the ¡®train,¡¯ they had seen it. The countless white lights sparkling under the seats. Anyone with a brain could easily guess what those were. Eyes. Either a mysterious monster with eyes plastered all over was lurking under the seats, or two-eyed monsters were swarming there. Either way, it was a sight they absolutely did not want to see through the screen. But then, why not just stop watching the broadcast? That wasn¡¯t an option. It was too entertaining. Plus, there was a bit of pride involved. ¡°Ugh! Damn, what is that!!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t watch this anymore!¡± Parang didn¡¯t know it, but among her viewers, a so-called ¡®viewing challenge¡¯ was spreading. The rules were simple. Keep watching the broadcast while Parang introduces the monster, and watch until the final scene where she executes it. Most people who left midway would come back, which was unique to Parang¡¯s broadcast atmosphere. They aimed to earn titles like ¡®Endurance Squad¡¯ or ¡®Last Survivor.¡¯ Of course, there was no actual reward. No one around them acknowledged it. But there are quite a few people in the world who take such things seriously. Especially hunters, who had a strong tendency towards this. A ¡®veteran hunter who has been through it all¡¯ should be able to watch Parang¡¯s broadcast, which wasn¡¯t even a real battle. Though it didn¡¯t always go as planned. Anyway, filled with the intent to torment her viewers, Parang went under the seats of the ¡®train¡¯ and stood on the floor. It was the first time in her broadcast history that her feet touched the ground. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ Parang took out her phone and tapped it. She had just received it from Silo. It was a model that worked up to 15 km underwater. ¡®They¡¯ve been going crazy developing this for a while now.¡¯ She recalled the calm smile of the Silo employee. Currently, they were 4 km deep. There was no chance it would stop working while exploring the ¡®train.¡¯ There were only a few places deeper than 15 km, like the Atlantic Hive, the Caribbean Trench, and the Mariana Trench. It was an over-technology item that made one wonder if humans could even create such a thing. What Parang did with it was, ©¤? ©¤What¡¯s this? ©¤Why can¡¯t I switch to third-person? She turned off the third-person perspective mode. Fear is best experienced in first-person view. The viewers despaired. Their hope that it would be less scary in third-person view was completely shattered. They had switched to third-person view and zoomed out fully when Parang went under the seat, feeling somewhat relieved. Unable to accept the sudden change in situation, some viewers began to plead with Parang. ©¤Teacher, please spare us just this once. ©¤I already got my oil paper ready, haha. ©¤If it¡¯s so scary, just turn off the broadcast. ©¤That¡¯s not an option. ©¤That¡¯s not an option. ©¤That¡¯s not an option. ¡°That¡¯s not an option. Keep watching. Don¡¯t leave.¡± Her voice, already tinged with mischief, came out with a slight giggle. And then, a rush of high-value donations from suspicious viewers continued for a while. Most were textless, so-called ¡®cool donations¡¯ or filled with incomprehensible onomatopoeia. Given that Parang¡¯s broadcast had TTS turned off, it didn¡¯t cause much discomfort. They knew this when they donated. ©¤¡®??¡¯ donated 70,000 won! ¨C However, even with continuous donations in the tens of thousands of won, the chat didn¡¯t mention it at all. To be precise, they were paralyzed. ¨D¨D¨D It wasn¡¯t because an unidentified monster appeared before them. Quite the opposite. The thousands of eyes that had been emitting a sinister glow from outside disappeared the moment Parang went under the seat. What unfolded was complete darkness. Humans are fundamentally afraid of the unknown. So, what¡¯s unseen is scarier than what¡¯s seen. Viewers clutched their oil paper tightly in one hand, trembling as they watched the broadcast. They couldn¡¯t bring themselves to remove their headsets because they couldn¡¯t give up on hearing Parang¡¯s voice. And those who courageously kept their headsets on were soon rewarded. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll speak a bit more quietly.¡± Parang whispered. Not ¡®said,¡¯ but ¡®whispered.¡¯ Her sweet and soft voice was melting their ears. ¡°The monster in front of us is a Hydra. It¡¯s the source of the countless eyes you saw earlier. As you might guess from the name, it¡¯s a single creature under here.¡± Of course, the content wasn¡¯t as sweet. ¡°Hydras are creatures that come from gates, like Bellua or Goblins. When they die, they revert to mana stones.¡± ©¤Oh, damn. ©¤Oh, please. ©¤? What¡¯s going on, why are you reacting like that? ©¤She said it came from a gate. ©¤Oh, right, damn. ©¤What are you talking about? A few sudden chats popped up. It might seem random, but Parang and some viewers understood. Their common denominator was ¡®Hunter.¡¯ Veteran hunters who had lived through battles with monsters on land, sea, and air. They knew exactly what this situation and her explanation meant. As mentioned in the original story, the ecosystem of this world is strictly divided into two. Those that come from gates and those that don¡¯t. Creatures like Orcs, Trolls, and Wyverns that crossed over from gates to Earth never harm dogs or cats. Similarly, lions or tigers never hunt Goblins or Imps. It¡¯s not because of some grand reason like a ¡®great wall created by the logic of the world.¡¯ The reason is actually quite mundane. Simply put, ¡®they can¡¯t eat them.¡¯ When Goblins die, they turn into mana stones and teeth, so a lion would never fill its belly by catching Goblins. Similarly, when a dog dies, it just becomes a dead dog, so it doesn¡¯t produce the mana stones that Trolls primarily eat. Therefore, there¡¯s no need for them to waste energy fighting each other. Even territorial disputes are minimal because their food sources are completely different. However, there is a common denominator between these seemingly separate groups. As you might have guessed, it¡¯s humans. Specifically, hunters. When humans die, they drop mana stones. Doesn¡¯t this sound like a recipe for murder? The Hunter Association keeps a vigilant eye on this, so it¡¯s not likely to happen. Even Silo and the world government agree on this matter. Anyone caught messing with human mana stones would be hunted by the entire world. Anyway, and as you might have guessed, the mana stones that monsters of all kinds prefer the most are those from humans. In summary, monsters that come from gates have an extraordinary ability to detect the scent of humans. And Parang had just entered a dark crevice where such a monster was lurking. Moreover, the monster, which had been exuding a sinister aura until now, hid its presence the moment Parang approached. This behavior could mean one of two things: It either fled or is preparing an ambush. Parang¡¯s words were enough to send all the viewers into a panic. ¡°An ambush is coming soon. Enjoy the chase with the Hydra.¡± ¡®Enjoy the chase¡¯ ©¤What do you mean, enjoy? ¨C Click. ¨C Parang turned on her flashlight. What appeared in front of her was something white and tofu-like in texture. ¡°It¡¯s the body of the Hydra.¡± Even though they were watching on a large monitor, the viewers¡¯ vision was now confined to the small circle of light from the flashlight. Now, they could only see what Parang saw, what she wanted to show them. Perfect control of their view. Soon, the viewers would painfully realize how terrifying this could be. ¨C Ziiiiiik. ¨C What they thought was the body suddenly opened its eyes. The viewers were staring into the eyes of the Hydra. ¡°The Hydra¡¯s eyes are fluid. They can move freely inside its body and appear anywhere on the surface.¡± A whispering voice. And then, from the side.. ¨C ziiik, ¨C ¨C ziiik, ziiik, ziiik. ¨C With each sound of flesh tearing, another eye appeared, staring at them. ¨C Ziiik. Ziiik. Ziiik. Ziiik. Ziiik. Ziiik. ¨C ¨C Ziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiikziiik. ¨C They couldn¡¯t see it in the darkness, but they knew more eyes were appearing and staring at them. Parang swept the flashlight around the area. Eyes everywhere. Some were so crushed together that their blood vessels had burst, turning them red. On the floor, on the ceiling. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity,¡¯ is active. ] The Hydra drives its prey into a panic like this before safely devouring them. ¡°The Hydra has excellent night vision.¡± With Parang¡¯s whisper, dozens of eyes detached from the wall and rushed toward her. # ©¤Damn, to the left, to the left, to the left, damn it! Parang swiftly swam through the Hydra, changing directions rapidly. A living maze of white, pulsating flesh. A terrifying sight that could haunt dreams, but there was something else that added real fear to the scene. ¨C Zzzzzzt. ¨C ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D!! ©¤Ah, damn, that scared me! ©¤Damn it, the sound, the sound, the sound! An eye grew from what they thought was a wall. A radius of 80 cm. An eyeball as big as Parang. It then extended out long and rushed towards Parang. Since Parang was deliberately controlling her speed, the eyeball got close enough to almost touch her. Then, the center split open, revealing a circular throat filled with randomly placed teeth, and five wriggling tongues emerged from inside. All of this happened within two seconds. From the viewers¡¯ perspective, grotesque monsters popped in and out of the screen without warning. It was a nightmare. ©¤Teacher, I promise I will never go diving again. I was foolish. Please stop. They tearfully repented, but Parang remained silent. Today, future diving enthusiasts were mercilessly crushed. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her current viewer count had dropped to half of what it was when she entered the train. ¡®Just half more to go.¡¯ Her broadcasting concept had already become twisted. Thus, the chase that only Parang enjoyed continued. To the left, to the right. Back to the left, three eyes suddenly appeared in the middle of the path. She quickly turned left, only to find a dead end. Turning back, she made eye contact with the Hydra. She swiftly turned downward, escaping with acrobatic movements, only to have an eyeball pop out from the right this time. This went on for about an hour. Finally, all the ¡®die-hard¡¯ viewers had fallen, and the viewer count was down to a quarter. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll stop here for now.¡± A sign signaling the end, ©¤Wow ©¤The fact is, the die-hards are truly steadfast. ©¤Oh, I survived today too, haha. ©¤Let¡¯s have a drink. Then, the remaining so-called ¡®die-hard¡¯ viewers began to toast each other. And for the ¡®die-hards¡¯ who endured the torturous time, a fitting reward (which only they considered a reward) was given. ©¤Everyone, take your seats! ©¤All the popcorn is gone, haha. It was none other than Yoo Parang¡¯s ¡®execution scene.¡¯ Only the viewers who endured the relentless visual torment could finally watch the ¡®deep-sea monster hunting broadcast.¡¯ Watching the detested monster that had tormented them being slaughtered by Parang¡¯s hand. The reward that wasn¡¯t really a reward turned out to be quite thrilling. Before they knew it, the lights were on, and the third-person view was available again. As many had expected, the Hydra looked like it was made entirely of intestines. Somewhere between white and crimson, an unpleasant pink hue filled the surroundings, pulsating. ¡°The color has turned red. It means it¡¯s excited. Its skin is so thin that you can see the increased blood flow.¡± Parang suddenly stopped. An eyeball popped out and rushed towards her. It opened its mouth and extended its tongue, wriggling. ¨C Booom¡ª swoosh! ¨C Parang didn¡¯t miss the timing and created a water bomb, shoving it inside. Thinking it had food, the eyeball stopped moving and closed its mouth. But, ¨C Boom! ¨C The bomb exploded from within, scattering blood and flesh like fireworks. ¨D¨D¨D¨D!!!! Sensing that something was wrong, the Hydra screamed. Then, dozens of eyeballs surrounded Parang from all directions¡ªfront, back, left, right, above, and below. But she calmly gripped her spear. And in a split second, ¨C Flicker. ¨C A blue light flashed in her eyes, ¨C Pababababak! ¨C The spear was thrust dozens of times at an invisible speed. ¨C Pshashashashak! ¨C The eyeballs exploded at an equally invisible speed. Naturally, the entire area turned crimson with the Hydra¡¯s blood. [ Skill, ¡®Clear Mirror Still Water,¡¯ is activated. ] Of course, none of it touched Parang. She quickly swam out of that space. As soon as she reached a sufficiently wide area, ¡°Huuuup!¡± The spear she gripped parted the water. Anchoring. And then, Paang!! The spear, thrown at a tremendous speed, pierced through the Hydra. ¨D¨D¨D¨D!!! A gaping hole. It penetrated the Hydra so deeply that the end wasn¡¯t visible. ¨D¨D¨D¨D¡­¡­ With a final sound, the Hydra disappeared. And thud. A mana stone the size of a watermelon fell to the ground. ©¤Is that a mana stone? ©¤How can a mana stone be that big? ©¤How much is that worth, damn. ©¤That¡¯s really making my mouth water. Hunters who knew its value reacted immediately. The size of a mana stone is proportional to the size of the monster, so they had a rough idea. But they didn¡¯t expect something the size of a watermelon to just drop out. A Wyvern¡¯s mana stone is the size of a baseball, and a Dragon¡¯s is the size of a soccer ball. ¡®It¡¯s understandable to be surprised.¡¯ There are no monsters the size of a Hydra on land. ¡®Is it not in this car?¡¯ Parang checked the device on her chest one last time. It might have seemed like she was randomly wandering around, hunting monsters and making a slaughter movie, but she had actually been meticulously calculating her route in real-time, thoroughly searching the train¡¯s interior. And this was the last place. If it wasn¡¯t here, it wasn¡¯t in the first car. ¡°Then, to the next car¡­.¡± Shall we move on? Parang¡¯s words were cut off. But amidst the rapidly scrolling chat, ©¤Wow, that size is insane. I¡¯m going diving right away. Normally, she would have ignored it, but she couldn¡¯t overlook this particular chat. ¡°What did you say?¡± Parang¡¯s expression twisted considerably. Chapter 31: Train (4) Chapter 31: Train (4)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 31 ©¤Wow, that size is insane. I¡¯m going diving right away. ¡°What did you say?¡± ©¤Take that back immediately!!! ©¤Wait, hold on. ©¤Admin, we apologize on his behalf. ©¤Please, just this once, we beg you. The chat exploded with reactions. An unknown newcomer viewer. He had said something that should never be said on Parang¡¯s broadcast. No one had ever typed such a message before, so they didn¡¯t know what would happen if someone did. But there was one thing they knew for sure. This broadcast, right now, was extremely dangerous. Parang¡¯s expression in the third-person view was colder than ever. Without a word, Parang tapped on her phone and brought up the one-on-one chat mode. If the viewer was unaware, she planned to sternly reprimand him; if he was doing it on purpose, she intended to ignore him. ©¤Wow, that size is insane. I¡¯m going diving right away. The first message he sent after joining the broadcast. Parang stared at it intently. Fortunately, it seemed the statement ¡®I¡¯m going diving right away¡¯ was a lie, as the problematic viewer asked a puzzled question. ©¤? Why are you all reacting like this? ©¤What¡¯s going on? ©¤??? Seeing that he seemed to be just an ordinary newcomer, Parang felt relieved. In this case, a stern reprimand would suffice. It was an unprecedented situation, but not one she couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°You can¡¯t say you¡¯re going diving on this broadcast. You can¡¯t actually go diving either. Don¡¯t dive.¡± ©¤But why? ¡°Just don¡¯t do it if I say don¡¯t. It¡¯s really dangerous. There should be some videos on T-tube, watch those.¡± ¡®Why are you so serious about this? They won¡¯t even reach the monster layer anyway. Can¡¯t you just ban them and be done with it?¡¯ one might ask. Parang knew the odds were slim. But there was a precedent with Shin Yuna. The difference between 0 and 1 can sometimes be infinitely large. And it could be a matter of life and death. If a hunter actually died because they went diving after watching her, Parang would be wracked with guilt for a long time. Her unnecessarily kind nature was a problem in times like these. ¡°Hm.¡± Vertea sat in front of the computer, stroking her chin. Parang had reacted much more strongly than he had expected. # ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± She had only intended to play a little prank, but the reaction was intense. Did Parang really think she was seriously planning to dive? It was absurd. Who in their right mind would watch her broadcast and decide to go diving? ¡®Then again, she might think that¡­.¡¯ Parang might genuinely believe she was a crazy hunter planning to dive right now. From Vertea¡¯s perspective, that¡¯s how Parang seemed. She often appeared to be quite sharp, but she also had moments where she stumbled over strange points. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­For those reasons, you shouldn¡¯t dive. Understand? It¡¯s really dangerous. If you must, only dive at the surface layer.¡± Was she explaining all this time? Vertea quickly organized her thoughts and smiled confidently. Then she typed rapidly. ©¤I¡¯m an S-rank, though? Teasing a close friend was indeed the most fun in the world. She could just buy her some Lotus biscuits later. Vertea grinned widely. # ©¤I¡¯m an S-rank, though? At that message, Parang¡¯s previously calm expression slightly cracked. ¡°Even if you¡¯re S-rank, it can still be dangerous. Don¡¯t do it.¡± ©¤But I¡¯m really strong. I¡¯ve even caught a monster fish. That 8-meter-long shark. Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly a lie. ¡°That¡¯s not a monster fish; it¡¯s just a mutant shark.¡± ©¤Isn¡¯t it roughly the same thing? Her skill in subtly provoking Parang was top-notch. Vertea had known Parang for several years now. She knew exactly how to push her buttons. ¡°Ugh! It¡¯s different! Really!¡± In the end, Parang crumbled under Vertea¡¯s pinpoint attacks. She stomped her feet in place. It was a habit that came out when she felt frustrated and overwhelmed. And the viewers who watched the whole process felt something. ¡®No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s just trolling.¡¯ That¡¯s right. Unlike Yu Parang, who only watched [Surface Diving Vlogs], the viewers were veterans who had thoroughly explored the depths of internet broadcasts. They could instantly tell whether someone was trolling or genuinely new. But they never advised Parang about it. United in their thoughts. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a chance to tease the host?¡¯ The Parang they saw on the broadcast was flawless. A cool beauty who nonchalantly took down enormous monsters¡ªthat was Parang¡¯s usual image. What would happen if her emotions exploded? They were too curious to resist. ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t dive!¡± Moreover, Parang was now showing some clumsy sides. The viewers felt something burning inside them. As a result, the chat also united in teasing Parang. ©¤But why can¡¯t we dive? ©¤It seems doable. ©¤Hmm, is it really that bad? ©¤I¡¯m watching this underwater right now, and there¡¯s no problem. ¡°Ugh, argh¡­!!!¡± Parang¡¯s face turned red. Parang was red, and with another red Parang, together they made purple! Unfortunately, Parang didn¡¯t know any spells, so that was the end of it. Anyway, Parang¡¯s face turned red. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, diving is really dangerous! You¡¯ve been watching the broadcast, right? So why do you keep saying you¡¯ll go underwater?¡± ©¤Honestly, it seems doable. ©¤Actually, I went diving yesterday. ¡°No, you promised last time that you wouldn¡¯t dive again! I remember your username!¡± That was a lie. Parang¡¯s insides, slick with oil, were set ablaze by that chat. ¡°No, if I say don¡¯t do it, don¡¯t do it!! Why won¡¯t you listen to me!!¡± Stomping her feet with a >o< expression on her bright red face, Parang even spoke informally, which was unlike her. It was quite cute. So, the viewers who had thought about stopping decided to continue. It took Parang quite a while to regain her composure. She had to threaten, ¡®If you keep this up, I¡¯ll ban you all!¡¯ # Parang swore to the heavens that she only intended to search the second car. As quickly as possible, she would sweep through every corner, avoiding catching any monsters if possible. This wasn¡¯t just for this broadcast. Whenever she had to go down to the East Sea Hive, she usually avoided the second car. She would only occasionally clean it by sending a Kraken through the windows to sweep it. If anyone asked why the great Yu Parang acted so cowardly, she could confidently answer. ¡®Because I really don¡¯t want to go in there.¡¯ It was because of the dominant species in the second car. Parang hated having to see them. They were horrifying and utterly disgusting. One might ask how someone who could catch Gorgons could find anything disgusting. But the creatures in the second car were fundamentally different from Gorgons. While a Gorgon was individually grotesque, these creatures were vaguely disgusting like Makula but did things that were utterly revolting. The dominant species of the second car, Sakis. A mutated species of whale louse. Many people think whale lice only parasitize whales, but in reality, they infest almost any fish species, except freshwater fish. When they mutate into Sakis, they can parasitize any species indiscriminately. Of course, exceptions like Kraken exist. Unfortunately, there were no Kraken-level monsters in the second car of the ¡®train.¡¯ So, it meant that parasites had taken over an entire car. Hearing this, the viewers began to sense something was wrong. ¡®Parasite¡¯ had always been a symbol of disgust. Viewers began to leave in droves. The remaining viewers were shouting, ¡®Can¡¯t we call it a draw?¡¯ ©¤Teacher, how about we resolve this peacefully? ©¤Yeah, we were wrong earlier. ©¤But what can we do, the host is cute. ©¤You started it!! The flow seemed a bit strange, but Parang understood their intentions. What was disgusting to her was almost traumatic for them. Even if she wanted to prevent diving, she believed it shouldn¡¯t interfere with people¡¯s daily lives. A broadcast meant for public good shouldn¡¯t do that. And personally, Parang didn¡¯t want to see that scene either. Parang had teased her viewers many times, so she decided to let it slide this once. She wasn¡¯t being played. Absolutely not. And then she remembered the statistics she saw during her meeting with Silo, showing that the number of diving hunters was exponentially decreasing. The ones who had been teasing her earlier had no intention of diving. Why didn¡¯t she realize this earlier? Parang¡¯s face heated up again. But she quickly felt relieved, thinking, ¡®At least no one is actually diving.¡¯ ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± ©¤Thank you, thank you, thank you. The fact is, the Yu Parang Endurance Squad is steadfast. ©¤Wow, haha. ©¤Rock. ©¤Extreme. ©¤Extreme. ¡°But I still have to show you.¡± After all, she needed to conduct the search. ©¤Crazy woman, crazy woman, crazy woman. ©¤The fact is, the Yu Parang Endurance Squad is all dead. ©¤Haha. ©¤Rock. ©¤Me. ©¤Me. ¡°I¡¯ll tone it down a bit. You should be able to watch comfortably.¡± However, Parang already had something in mind. ©¤We worship you, we worship you, we worship you. ©¤The fact is, the Yu Parang Endurance Squad is back. ©¤Wow, haha. ©¤Rock. ©¤Extreme. ©¤Extreme. Indeed, Parang could control the emotions of her viewers. Chapter 32: Train (5) Chapter 32: Train (5)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C32 Parang tapped on her phone. ¡°Silo operations team, you¡¯re watching the broadcast, right?¡± The response came not through chat but as a text message from a restricted number. ©¤Yes. ¡°Then could you take the image I just sent you and apply it as a 3D model to the ¡®Sakis¡¯?¡± If it was them, it would certainly be possible. ©¤Understood. Please wait a moment. After a short while, a reply came. ©¤It¡¯s done. Now, when the Sakis are caught on camera, they will automatically be recognized and replaced with the image you sent. ¡°Could you display it in front of me as a test?¡± As the application was completed, reactions started to appear in the chat. ©¤Oh. ©¤Cute? ©¤Adorable? ©¤Squishy, haha. ©¤Bouncy, haha. The image Parang sent was a drawing of a monster. The monster, Umoo. A mutated species of the flapjack octopus, known as the Umoo octopus in Korean. It was big and cute. Though somewhat simplified, it really looked like the drawing Parang had sent. Its personality was indecisive and lazy, floating aimlessly in the water all day. Just as the Gorgon proudly held the title of the most fearsome monster, Umoo consistently ranked first in the ¡®cutest monster¡¯ poll. Bambaspis was perpetually second. Its actual size was about 20 meters. Roughly the size of the giant rubber duck that once floated on the Han River. Anyway, the important thing was that Umoo was cute. It was also Parang¡¯s favorite monster. Unlike other monsters whose names were derived from Latin scientific names, Umoo alone had a Korean name because Parang had named it. That was why Parang replaced the Sakis with Umoo. Even if their actions were revolting, their cute appearance would make them more bearable. And Parang could benefit from it as well. ¨C Tap, tap. ¨C She lightly tapped her abdomen twice, and something clicked out. Cyberpunk-style goggles. She took off the device she usually used to view the chat and put on the goggles, changing her view. In front of her floated a meticulously crafted Umoo. The quality was even higher than she had expected. ¡®Where would I even use this?¡¯ That was what Parang had thought when she received the goggles from Silo. Synchronizing the broadcast screen with her view? It was nothing short of madness. Because of the delay. No matter how good the broadcasting equipment was, it was difficult to livestream Parang¡¯s broadcast from the deep sea in real-time, so there was inevitably a temporal discrepancy between what appeared on the screen and Parang¡¯s actual view. Still, it was much better than Yuna¡¯s handmade equipment, so the difference between the broadcast screen and Parang¡¯s actual view was only about a second. However, there was always a one-second delay in her view. One could easily understand how fatal that could be in combat. Of course, it was also incredibly inconvenient in everyday situations. But Parang hated seeing the Sakis with her own eyes more than she hated the delay in her view. In the car she was about to enter, there wouldn¡¯t be any rapid, decisive battles where every moment counted. Taking a deep breath, Parang entered the next car. # ©¤Wow. ©¤Cute? ©¤Squishy, haha. ©¤Bouncy, haha. The chat reactions were enthusiastic. It was because of the scene that unfolded as soon as she entered the second car. The car had the same layout as before, filled with numerous monsters. So far, it was the same as before. But, ¨C Bloop¡ªBloop. ¨C 30cm-sized green jellies floated around the train car. They were cute. With slightly angry but somewhat dumb-looking eyes, their green, bouncy bodies looked like they¡¯d feel nice to squish. Sometimes they floated still, sometimes they bumbled around, bumping into each other and the walls, wandering among the other monsters. Countless in number. It was almost half water, half jelly. The viewers tried hard to forget that what they were actually seeing was a car full of whale lice. Parang also wanted to forget that fact, but it wasn¡¯t easy. ¡®Their numbers have increased.¡¯ She would need to conduct a major cleanup once the broadcast ended. ¨C Doooo. ¨C A dull mechanical sound indicating that the Slayer¡¯s signal was still not found emanated from her chest. ¡®Hoo¡­.¡¯ She really hated it, but Parang had to inspect the entire car. She swam quickly. After some time, ©¤¡®??¡¯ donated 10,000 won! ¨C ©¤For real. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤What is it? ©¤This is creepy. The viewers sensed something was off. It was something Parang had anticipated and was waiting for. The viewers noticing the anomaly in this car. ©¤Why are they really like that? ©¤This is terrifying. ©¤Teacher, please explain quickly, I¡¯m scared to death. Among the countless monsters in this vast car, not a single one was swimming. They floated with blank eyes, as if they were corpses. Some had even flipped over, lying still with their bellies up, as if they were truly dead. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve noticed, so I¡¯ll explain.¡± Parang continued speaking calmly. ¡°The only things alive in this car are the Sakis. Everything else is a corpse.¡± She approached a pufferfish monster nearby. Its entire body was puffed up, and its skin constantly rippled as if something inside was moving. Parang took her harpoon and sliced it in half. Then, ¨C Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop¡­ ¨C Umoos poured out from inside. Judging by the number, it seemed the inside was completely packed with them. ¡°All the monsters you see here are in this state.¡± Oh, would you look over there? Parang said as she returned to the entrance of the car. She took a position and saw a monster swimming in through the entrance. ¡°It¡¯s probably lost or trying to escape.¡± As soon as it entered, one of the green jellies swam up to it, ¨C Plop. ¨C and buried its head into the monster¡¯s skin. Then it started burrowing into the skin. It was a cute sight, but the viewers were all horrified. ¡­¡­. In less than 30 seconds, the monster had turned into the same state as the others around it. Floating with blank eyes as if dead. ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡± ©¤? ©¤What? ©¤Excuse me? ¡°I¡¯ll show you in detail.¡± Parang grabbed one of the nearby Umoos. The dissonance between the actual texture and the visual graphic felt strange. ¨C Creak¡­. ¨C The creature squirmed, trying to bury its head into Parang¡¯s arm. It was attempting to burrow into her skin. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t succeed. Parang held it and returned to the first car. She had noticed a particular monster earlier. After some time, Parang stopped in front of a monster. ¡°I¡¯m going to put it inside this one.¡± In front of Parang was a transparent monster. Deep-sea fish often lack melanin due to living in light-deprived environments, making them transparent. The monster in front of Parang was one such case. It was about 10 meters long, shaped like a typical fish. In other words, it looked like a classic fish. However, its skin was transparent, making its internal organs clearly visible. Bones, intestines, brain, and so on. Parang stared at it quietly. ¡°Watch. This is how dangerous the deep sea is.¡± Parang placed the Umoo inside the transparent monster. To be precise, she placed it near the monster. The Umoo seemed to assess its surroundings for a moment. Then, it touched the transparent monster. At that moment, the Umoo quickly rubbed its body against the transparent monster. If the graphic were removed, it would show the parasite burying its head into the skin, trying to burrow in. Parang tried to deny that fact. And as soon as the Umoo completely entered the transparent monster¡¯s body¡­ ¨C Whack! ¨C ¨C Nom, nom, nom¡­. ¨C The Umoo took a big bite out of the transparent monster¡¯s flesh. With its cheeks puffed up, it devoured the flesh. Then.. ¨C Gulp. ¨C It swallowed and opened its mouth. ¨C Pop. ¨C Another Umoo popped out from its mouth. ¨C Pop, pop, pop, pop. ¨C Countless Umoos continued to emerge. The newly emerged Umoos also began to eat the transparent monster¡¯s flesh and then each spat out more Umoos. ¨C Pop, pop. ¨C ¨C Nom, nom, nom¡­. ¨C After about 15 seconds, the inside of the monster was filled with Umoos. All the organs, including the bones, were devoured. The inside was now completely filled with Umoos, making it look like a bag stuffed with Umoos. Naturally, this included the brain. The transparent monster, having all its organs eaten, floated lifelessly in the water. People tried hard to prevent the image of the Umoo they had just seen from being replaced by the image of whale lice in their minds. Parang cut open the transparent monster and killed all the Umoos inside before speaking. ¡°Do you want this to happen to you?¡± No viewer answered ¡®yes¡¯ to that question. # Parang finished searching the second car. To be precise, she almost finished. The last place left was under the train seats. ¡°Hoo¡­ I¡¯m going in.¡± Having seen what they had so far, the viewers watched with tension. And as soon as Parang entered under the seats, what she found was enough to shock all the viewers. ©¤What the hell is that thing? ©¤What is that? ©¤Does something like that even exist? A red body, large eyes, an awkward appearance. The ?-shaped monster was staring straight at Parang. ¡°Uh¡­ this is¡­.¡± Parang stammered. ¡®How do I explain this?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t just say, ¡®This is a ?-shaped monster.¡¯ She was deep in thought. Chapter 33: Train (6) Chapter 33: Train (6)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 33 ©¤That thing looks freakishly bizarre. ©¤Is that even a fish? ©¤Isn¡¯t that something from a gate? The chat reactions were explosive. Compared to the other monsters they had seen so far, this ?-shaped monster was exceptionally bizarre. Unlike the other monsters that at least looked like living creatures, this one was ambiguously un-lifelike. It lacked that certain something that only living beings possess, a sense of vitality. Even though it was clearly ¡®seeing¡¯ with its eyes. The inexplicable sense of unease Parang felt when she first encountered this monster stemmed from this very ambiguity. If Parang, who had encountered all sorts of grotesque monsters, felt uneasy, how much more so would the average viewer? ©¤What is that thing? ©¤Is it a monster? ©¤There aren¡¯t even any Umoos around it. Their curiosity was naturally exploding. And Parang wanted to provide them with a clear answer if possible. She didn¡¯t want to give a vague response like, ¡®This is a ?-shaped monster¡­ It¡¯s a recent discovery, so I don¡¯t know much about it either.¡¯ As a person, she naturally had the desire to appear impressive in front of many people. Having shown a clumsy side earlier, she also wanted to make up for it. But she couldn¡¯t pretend to know what she didn¡¯t. Just as she was about to speak with a sense of regret¡ª ¨C Bzzzz! ¨C Her phone vibrated. ¡°Ah, just a moment. I have a message.¡± No viewers made comments like ¡®Is it your boyfriend?¡¯ Those who would say such things had already been weeded out along with Galecus¡¯s eggs in the first broadcast. Parang took out her phone and opened SiloTalk. Given the first-person perspective of her broadcast, the viewers should have seen her phone screen, but it appeared as a black screen to them. Thanks to Silo¡¯s built-in broadcast screen filtering. Additionally, Silo put a lot of effort into protecting Parang¡¯s personal information. For example, automatically erasing the ¡®departure¡¯ hanging on her ear or preventing certain angles from being viewed in third-person broadcasts. This was beneficial for Parang. Anyway, she checked her phone and saw a message from Vertea. [Capulus: Latin for handle.] It¡¯s not a mutated Earth fish. Biologically impossible structure. Since it doesn¡¯t drop magic stones when killed, it¡¯s not a gate monster either. Possible explanations include¡­ The message contained Vertea¡¯s research based on the materials Parang had sent earlier. ¡®Handle¡­.¡¯ Vertea had a peculiar sense of naming things. At first, it seemed absurd to call it a handle, but upon reflection, it did resemble one. In any case, the information arrived at just the right time. Parang also realized that the person who had donated 1,213 won earlier was Vertea. Vertea had probably finished researching Capulus a while ago but got distracted by other tasks and only remembered it now while watching the broadcast. Parang didn¡¯t reach the conclusion that the earlier disruption was also Vertea¡¯s doing. Regardless, with Vertea¡¯s support, Parang¡¯s words flowed smoothly, like a clear stream through a green mountain. ¡°This is called Capulus. It was recently discovered, so not much is known about it, but I¡¯ll explain as much as I can based on what I know.¡± ©¤We can see you looking at your phone, teacher. Parang quickly put her phone away. ¡°I was just checking the time.¡± ©¤Why are you scrolling to check the time? (Really don¡¯t know) ©¤My phone¡¯s clock also needs scrolling to see, no cap. ©¤Is this for real? ©¤Do you think it¡¯s real? Parang ignored the fiery chat and continued her explanation. ¡°The reason we don¡¯t definitively call it a monster is that it hasn¡¯t been confirmed to be a living organism yet. Researching creatures that are tens of meters long found in the deep sea is extremely difficult. Especially when they have such¡­ um, indeterminate forms.¡± ©¤ ¡®oo¡¯ donated 10,000 won! ¨C ©¤True. ©¤If it were me, I¡¯d be too scared to research and would just run away. ©¤For real, haha. Then I¡¯d hide under my bed and never come out. ©¤I¡¯d never dive again, haha. The viewers chimed in with their own comments. Seeing some endearing messages, Parang smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re kind.¡± The chat exploded again. ©¤Hold on a second. ©¤Ddu-ddu¡­ ddu-ddu-ddu¡­ ddu-ddu-ddu¡­. After a little time, Parang was able to continue her proper explanation. ¡°Capulus looks bizarre, but it¡¯s currently assumed to have no special abilities. My mental barrier skill isn¡¯t activating.¡± That was also the case when she first saw it. ¡°And regarding whether it¡¯s a living organism, opinions are still divided. Those who claim it¡¯s alive base their arguments on¡­ like this.¡± ¨C Thunk. ¨C Parang moved to the right side of Capulus and gave it a nudge, causing its eyeball to spin around and lock eyes with her. ©¤Ah, damn, that scared me. ©¤Use your turn signal!!! ©¤Teacher, are you making a habit of being mean now¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± This time, it really wasn¡¯t intentional, but she had inadvertently taken another step in her pattern of teasing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this one. It wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± Parang was quick to apologize when necessary. ©¤So all the previous ones were intentional? ©¤Fact: It¡¯s true. ©¤Damn, it¡¯s scarier that all the previous ones were intentional. ¡°Uh, well.¡± She realized there was no need to apologize for this. ¡°I had to make sure you didn¡¯t fall asleep. It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± The chat flared up again, but Parang continued her explanation undeterred. ¡°Anyway, the fact that it reacts to stimuli is one of the reasons some argue it¡¯s a living organism. This applies to its eyeball, but if you poke it, it also bleeds.¡± A mysterious entity living in the deep sea. Moreover, it had a bizarre appearance and was recently discovered, so even experts didn¡¯t know much about it. The viewers began to feel a strong desire to explore this monster. The joy of discovering the unknown appeals to everyone, regardless of age or gender. Although there were no experts, the collective intelligence of the group couldn¡¯t be ignored, and many novel ideas were proposed. ©¤What if only the eyeball is alive and the T-shaped part is just a shell, like a clam? ©¤How about giving it some food? ©¤To see if it¡¯s alive, why not just put that jelly in it? And one interesting chat caught Parang attention. The suggestion to try inserting a Sakis. Both Parang and Vertea felt a spark of inspiration. This way, they could determine if it was a living organism without having to bring out the Kraken. ¡°Trying a Sakis, that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll mention it to someone I know.¡± ©¤Please say ¡®good job¡¯ just once. ¡°Good job.¡± That viewer didn¡¯t type in the chat again after that moment. Parang wondered if they had something urgent to attend to. Anyway, the ¡®someone I know¡¯ was, of course, Vertea. As the world¡¯s leading authority on monster research, there was no one better. Not that there were many people researching monsters to begin with. Give it a try. It sounds like a good idea. As expected, Vertea, who was watching the broadcast, sent a message immediately. ¡°They says to give it a try. So, let¡¯s try it.¡± Parang grabbed one of the nearby Umoos and placed it near Capulus, rubbing it around. It looked quite cute, squished between Parang and Capulus like a flat rice cake. ¡°Hmm, it doesn¡¯t seem interested in entering the body. It¡¯s recognizing it as a non-living object.¡± Parang then brought the Umoo to Capulus¡¯s eye. This time, the reaction was different. As soon as Parang rubbed the Umoo against Capulus¡¯s eye, the Umoo bit into it. The viewers were horrified at the thought of the earlier scene happening inside the eye. ©¤Ah, damn. ©¤Ugh. However, contrary to expectations, Capulus¡¯s eye remained perfectly intact. It simply maintained its clean, spherical form. ©¤? ©¤Huh? ©¤What? So, it bit into it thinking it was a living organism, but it wasn¡¯t. It was like it tasted it and then spat it out. Neither the body nor the eye was organic. Therefore, Capulus was inorganic. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a living organism. ¡°Thanks for the good idea.¡± Parang felt good because, for the first time, they had reached a clear conclusion after a series of vague explorations. But that feeling was short-lived as an undeniable donation came in. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! ¨C ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Parang hesitated for a moment. This could potentially reveal Oceanos. ©¤Right, who is it? ©¤Someone similar to the host? ©¤Is there anyone similar to the host? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤There could be. ©¤I can¡¯t imagine it. Meanwhile, the chat was exploding with curiosity. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! ¨C The ¡®academic database¡¯ referred to here is the Hunter Association¡¯s database. Most monster information is registered there for public safety reasons. Even many monsters are registered, although the depth of research on them is significantly less than that on terrestrial monsters. ¡®Hmm¡­.¡¯ After a brief moment of contemplation, Parang made a decision. ¡°They¡¯re just an acquaintance. It¡¯s a bit difficult to explain since they¡¯re not related to the broadcast.¡± No matter how curious the viewers were, some things couldn¡¯t be shared. She spoke briefly and concisely. Surprisingly, the viewers seemed to accept it readily. They didn¡¯t push for more information. Most simply accepted it with an ¡°I see,¡± and the remaining few also responded with ¡°I see.¡± After all, they couldn¡¯t openly say they wanted to dig into the personal details of someone unrelated to the broadcast right in front of Parang. In this calm atmosphere, Parang continued to look around under the seats a bit more, and then her broadcast ended smoothly. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll stop here for today and explore two more cars tomorrow afternoon. Goodbye, everyone.¡± ©¤ Today¡¯s broadcast was packed with content. ©¤ So, is ¡®three days¡¯ three days or four days? ©¤ Oh no, don¡¯t go. ¨C Pop. ¨C ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± Parang¡¯s vision went dark. It was natural since the synchronized broadcast had ended. In the end, they didn¡¯t find any signals from the Slayers in cars 4 and 5. Parang hadn¡¯t expected much. You can¡¯t be satisfied with the first attempt. When she took off the device from her eyes, the Sakis that had appeared as an Umoo returned to its original form. ¡®Ugh¡­.¡¯ Parang grimaced and quickly exited the train at top speed. ¡°Kraken.¡± ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D!! The tentacles that entered through the train windows exterminated all the monsters. Complete eradication was impossible, but this would help control the population to some extent. Parang returned to her home. # Meanwhile, Vertea. ¡°A broadcast¡­ huh.¡± She stroked her chin in thought, staring at the blank computer screen. Chapter 34: Interlude Chapter 34: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 34 [ This broadcast has ended. ] A screen displaying a concise message along with some static noise. ¡°Huuuh¡­haaah¡­¡± S-Class Hunter Shin Yuna stretched vigorously. As expected, today¡¯s broadcast by Parang was substantial. Tomorrow¡¯s would surely be just as rich. Since the broadcast had just ended, it would take some time for the community to start buzzing and heating up with discussions. Yuna headed to her workshop. Her current location was Pohang. Having completed her moving process last night, Shin Yuna now lived in the same village as Parang. ¡®Hunter? Oh, the same profession as that Han Siwoo from Geumma? Oh my, such a young lady going through so much. Here, take a bite of this before you go. Oh, you eat so prettily. Here, try this too¡­¡¯ She had already greeted the local elders. Each one of them was a kind soul. ¡®Oh, you eat so well. How can you be so skinny? You need to eat more to grow big and strong. This is homemade Sikhye¡­¡¯ It was the first time in her life she had eaten so much. Well, anyway. ¡°Hmm~ Hmhm~¡± She hummed a tune as she headed to her workshop. It was time for lunch, but she felt like she couldn¡¯t eat anything more. And now, she had to deal with something more important than ever. ¨C Drrrrr. ¨C As Yuna stood in front of her workshop, the door automatically opened. As always, amidst the neatly set up works scattered around, in the most conspicuous spot. There lay a scroll, carefully cherished. Like a treasure, it was an unidentified scroll, even encased in a glass frame obtained from who knows where. Yuna caressed the glass case as if it were a luscious fruit. A lot had happened. From the initial submarine broadcast to her connection with Parang. So much had happened in such a short time since that meeting. The submarine made in two weeks? Scrapped. The unmanned submarine made with renewed determination? Indefinitely halted. The broadcasting equipment made with the help of 13 crafting hunters? Used twice and then discarded. But!!! ¡®Today is different!!¡¯ Yuna clenched her fist. She had given up on the broadcasting equipment and allowed Silo¡¯s surveillance, not really surveillance, in exchange for obtaining this item. Now, with this scroll, there were still a few obstacles left to her fiery passion for the deep sea¡­ but still! She could eliminate the biggest problem. She carefully opened the glass case and held the scroll in her hand. Then, a notification window appeared before her. [ Do you want to use the skill scroll? ] [ ! Warning ! A conflict with existing skills is expected. Acquiring this skill may result in the loss of existing skills. ] [ Y / N ] ¡°I will use it.¡± Then, the entire skill scroll turned into light and permeated Yuna¡¯s body. The information of the skill was being engraved into her blood. Yuna closed her eyes and savored the sensation for a moment. It felt as if cool water was sweeping over her entire body. ¨C Swoosh. ¨C The sun-drenched sandy beach, the incoming waves. For a moment, she felt as if she had really been to the seaside. Such a vivid ¡®engraving¡¯ sensation could only come from an S-Class skill. Eventually, the illusion she was wandering in ended. Yuna opened her eyes. A blue light briefly flickered in her eyes before disappearing. Yuna looked at the window that appeared before her and smiled. [ You have acquired the skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯. ] [ Viewing skill information. ] [ Waterproof Sanity (S) ] [ You cannot possess or acquire any other mental barrier-type skills. ] [ Strongly resists mental damage inflicted by targets in the water. Strongly resists mental damage received while the caster is in the water. If both the target and the caster are in the water, mental attacks are completely nullified. ] Along with the feeling of being filled, she also felt something slipping away from her body. [ The skill, Inner Peace (A), has been nullified due to conflict. ] [ The skill, Mental Firewall (A), has been nullified due to conflict. ] [ The skill, Equanimity (B), has been nullified due to conflict. ] [ The skill, Brain Filter (C), has been nullified due to conflict. ] These were the skills that once protected her firmly. But to the current Yuna, they were just skills that couldn¡¯t even block the charm of Galecus. At the same time, she was astonished. It was because of the description of the skill she had just acquired. ¡®Strongly resists mental damage inflicted by targets in the water.¡¯ ¡®Strongly resists mental damage received while the caster is in the water.¡¯ None of the mental barrier-type skills she had seen so far had the phrase ¡®strongly resists¡¯ in their descriptions. Moreover, immunity. It was a word she had never seen in the status window before. Yuna sneakily opened the skill information window and skimmed through the ¡®acquisition conditions¡¯ section. [ Acquisition Conditions for the ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ Skill ] [ 1. Acquired through a scroll ] [ 2. ¡­ ] ¡°Oh¡­.¡± There was no way Hunter Yu Parang obtained this through a scroll. This meant she had met the ¡®acquisition conditions¡¯ listed here. A chill ran down Yuna¡¯s spine. She resolved never to make Parang an enemy. How on earth did she manage to extract such an insanely powerful skill into a scroll? She once again felt the immense capability of Silo Corporation. Did they really draw Parang¡¯s blood or something? Well, pondering over it wouldn¡¯t provide any answers. Yuna brushed off her lingering thoughts and headed to her bedroom, flopping onto the bed. By now, the buzz about Parang¡¯s broadcast should be circulating. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The community was ablaze as usual. Yuna clicked on the most intriguing title with a satisfied expression. (The video shows Parang coldly and sharply slandering while annihilating monsters. The editing has enhanced the aesthetic quality of the video.) Who the hell was the first one to request slander from this girl¡­ Damn it, I can¡¯t sleep because of you!! Oooh¡­so intense¡­ ©¤Ddu-dae-dae¡­ ? Ddae-dae¡­ Uu¡­ ? Ddu-dae-uu.. Ddae-dae¡­ ? What are these guys doing? ? (Confused emoji) ©¤Wow, I really like this stuff, damn. ©¤But seriously, the action is so good, even without the insults, lol. ? For real, it¡¯s better than most Hunter battles, lol. ? It¡¯s probably because there are no directional limitations underwater. ? Isn¡¯t that the same for flying types? ? How can you compare it to wyverns and those flying creatures? ? Busted, lol. (GIF of Umoos rubbing their cheeks together) (GIF of an Umoo with a dumb expression stuck to a wall) (GIF of Umoos pouring out from inside a pufferfish) ¡­ (GIF of an Umoo headbutting Capulus and looking confused) I really want to keep one at home. ©¤What is that? It¡¯s so cute! ? Are there still people who don¡¯t watch Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast? ©¤The original is supposedly 20 meters in size, how can you keep that, lol. ? Oh, damn, really? ? (Is this real?) emoji ©¤ ¡®Whale Louse¡¯ ? Ugh, no way. ? That¡¯s an Umoo, I¡¯ve seen it, yep, that¡¯s an Umoo. ? No matter how much you deny it, if you strip away the graphics, it¡¯s a whale louse, lol. (A man in a full-body latex suit taking a photo in front of a mirror. He seems to have torn off the connection part forcibly, and the zipper has been completely ripped off.) Why the hell can¡¯t I take this off, damn, what should I do? ©¤What¡¯s with this guy, lol. ©¤Idiot, lol. ©¤Damn, a guy wearing latex, what the hell. ©¤Are you really gay?? ©¤Isn¡¯t this the same guy from that popular post before? ? ? What are you talking about? ? (Link) ? It¡¯s really him, damn, lol. ? Why is this happening, lol. ? This guy is a real idiot, lol. ©¤Cut it with scissors. ? It won¡¯t cut, damn, maybe it has some option on it. ? Why would a latex suit with options have a ripped zipper? ? Why are you asking me, damn. ? Go to a big branch of the Hunter Association and ask them to remove the option. ? Damn, you want me to go to Seoul wearing this??? ? Then live with it forever, lol. Damn, make it so the third-person view can zoom out!!! ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote ©¤It¡¯s so annoying that most angles are blocked, lol. Trying to see from a prettier angle is impossible. ©¤Yu Parang turning invisible is so annoying, seriously. ? It¡¯s a broadcast about monsters, what¡¯s the point of seeing the Hunter? ? This guy doesn¡¯t watch the broadcast. ? This guy really doesn¡¯t watch it, huh. ? Kick out the clueless ones. ? Damn, is this Yu Parang Gallery or Hunter Gallery, lol. (GIF of someone fondling Galecus¡¯s egg) There¡¯s no such thing, lol. Just look at this gross GIF. ©¤Where¡¯s the gross GIF? ©¤Where¡¯s the mod¡¯s alt account? ©¤Where¡¯s the gross GIF? ©¤Damn, it¡¯s funny how everyone¡¯s used to it now, lol. ¡°Hmm.¡± Yuna quietly stared at the GIF of Galecus¡¯s egg. It didn¡¯t bother her at all. Since no notification window popped up, it seemed that Waterproof Sanity didn¡¯t activate. Yuna had already adapted to Parang¡¯s broadcasts # Meanwhile, Yu Parang. She lay in the tank in her bedroom, fiddling with her phone. ¨C Ping-! ¨C ¡°Hmm?¡± A suddenly received text. Well, texts usually arrive unexpectedly. She checked SiloTalk and saw it was a message from Bertea. [Parang, about your broadcast.] [Can I appear as a guest tomorrow?] Chapter 35: Worldwide (1) Chapter 35: Worldwide (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 35 [Parang, about your broadcast.] [Can I appear as a guest tomorrow?] Parang¡¯s eyes widened. Vertea? On the broadcast?? Honestly, it was a bit sudden and surprising. A long-time friend suddenly saying, ¡®I want to do a broadcast.¡¯ It was hard to imagine. And Vertea on a broadcast. Honestly, it was a bit concerning. She was articulate and spoke well usually, but thinking of her on a broadcast was a bit¡­ Vertea was a scholar. She knew a lot and had excellent learning abilities. And she enjoyed explaining what she knew to others. It wasn¡¯t about showing off or boasting. It was a pure desire to spread knowledge, hoping the other person would also know it. Vertea had a strong inclination towards that. [On my broadcast?] [It¡¯s fine, but why?] [Just, it looks fun.] [And the idea of preventing people from diving isn¡¯t bad.] [Honestly.] [Monster fish lecture.] The future of deep-sea broadcasting looked bright. It must have been today¡¯s broadcast by Parang that triggered this. It was a very Vertea-like action. [And the number of people diving in Europe is increasing. We need to stop it.] ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Parang didn¡¯t particularly disagree with that. As shown in the graph by Silo, the number of diving hunters was steadily decreasing. Not only in Korea but also abroad. The hot clip videos of Parang¡¯s broadcast posted by a mysterious account frequently appeared in the global T-Tube algorithm, almost suspiciously. At first, Parang dismissed it as ¡®lucky,¡¯ but now she knew the reason. Simply put, T-Tube was owned by Silo. There were also increasingly frequent Korean-translated chats. ©¤Amazing! What is that? ©¤Mysterious! Pa-lang, you are the best! ©¤Damn!! What is that!! Damn!! Son of a bitch!! It was always a bit funny, and she struggled to hold back her laughter. In short, Parang was quite famous abroad as well. However, despite her popularity, people in Europe and America continued to dive. Recently, someone even went down to the 500m mark. It probably felt like a different world because Parang¡¯s broadcast only showed the East Sea and the South China Sea. When something is physically distant, it¡¯s natural for the mind to feel distant as well. In that sense, if Vertea or other Oceanos started broadcasting, it would certainly have a good impact. They would be showing the conditions of the seas they intended to dive into. [So, I want to appear as a guest on your broadcast once to get a feel for it, and then focus on activities centered in Europe.] It seemed like a good idea to Parang. It was a request from one of her closest friends, so she could accommodate that. She had some ideas to handle the issue of excessive explanations. [There¡¯s no reason not to.] [Great. Then come out.] [Huh?] [I¡¯m in front of your house.] ¡°What?!¡± Her voice burst out in surprise. She hurriedly ran to open the door, and there stood Vertea. In the dark of night. ¡°Sorry. I forgot to consider the time difference. It was afternoon when I warped.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± That was a lie. Someone who constantly roams the world¡¯s oceans wouldn¡¯t forget about time differences. She just wanted to see Parang¡¯s surprised reaction. Despite being caught off guard every time, Parang was taken aback once again. ¡°How did you¡­ Never mind, come in.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Vertea entered the house and skillfully found the guest room. It was because she often had to travel globally, like during the sperm whale hunt. If something happened in the East Sea, she would stay at Parang¡¯s house; if something happened in the Caribbean, she would stay at Diego¡¯s house. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, your house is my house, and my house is your house. Since they were all professional fighters, they were indifferent to such matters. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± And so, the next day. (A screenshot of Parang¡¯s broadcast. The title reads ¡®East Sea Exploration Day 2 (Collab)¡¯.) Collab???????? ©¤Damn, collabs were possible? ©¤With whom? ? Is it that monster expert she mentioned before? ? Judging by the context, it seems so. ©¤Damn, lol, the host doing a collab, can¡¯t even imagine. ©¤sSince it¡¯s a collab, does that mean no viewer abuse today? ? Oh ? Oh Poor souls. # ¡°Hm~ Hm~¡± Vertea and Parang were lying side by side in the water. Waiting for the viewers to gather. Vertea didn¡¯t seem to mind lying still in the water either, with her hands behind her head and her legs crossed. As if lying on a sunbed at the beach. Both in the same pose. Fundamentally, all the women of Oceanos were beauties. With a beauty next to another beauty, the viewers¡¯ eyes were delighted. Moreover, both Parang and Vertea exuded a mysterious aura, so lying still in the water made them look like a painting. For this moment, viewers could forget the usual brutal broadcasts and enjoy true healing. ¡®Maybe I should play some appropriate music next time.¡¯ Parang thought. A tranquil piano piece playing in the background of the underwater laziness. It seemed like a good idea. She glanced at the viewer count and saw that it had risen quite a bit. She lightly tapped Vertea, who was beside her. Vertea understood and stretched leisurely. As usual, they checked the camera and the sound levels. ¡°Ah, ah. Can you hear me well?¡± ©¤Wow, this is amazing. ©¤We can hear you well. ©¤Who¡¯s next to you? ©¤Who is that person next to you? Vertea began to introduce herself fluently. ¡°I¡¯m Vertea Fabron. Nice to meet you.¡± Her fluent Korean, mixed with the soft, rolling pronunciation unique to French, gave off an elegant vibe. Combined with her calm tone, it was enough to excite the viewers. ©¤Ddu-dae¡­ U-dae-ddu-uu¡­ ©¤Please marry me. ©¤Parang, I¡¯m sorry¡­ ¡°Just so you know, Vertea is also reading the chat in real-time.¡± ©¤Gasp ©¤What ©¤Eh ¡°Okay, you can continue.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Vertea continued speaking calmly. ¡°Hmm, hmm. I¡¯m Vertea Fabron. I live in Paris, France, and currently, I research monster fishs as a job? Hobby? Anyway, that¡¯s what I mainly do. I¡¯ve known Parang for a few years, and today, I begged her to let me appear because it looked fun. Please take care of me.¡± ©¤ ¡°Let¡¯s do a broadcast together.¡± ©¤Like host, like friend, lol. ©¤So now there are two hosts, lol. ©¤Does that mean double the viewer abuse? ? No, no, that¡¯s not allowed. For the viewers, it was their first time meeting one of Parang¡¯s acquaintances. Immediately, various questions started pouring in through donations and chat. ©¤ [ Is this the person who contacted the host about monster research last time? ] ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ©¤ [ What is the host¡¯s personality like usually? ] ¡°Hmm.¡± Vertea pondered this question for a moment. ¡°In the water, she¡¯s really cool. Sharp, meticulous, and strong. The image you see on the broadcast is exactly how she is.¡± ©¤What about outside the water? ¡°She¡¯s a mess.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ©¤According to a close friend) She¡¯s a mess outside the water. Teasing a close friend is always the most fun. It was another moment where Yu Parang¡¯s cool beauty concept (surprisingly, she thought of herself that way) was peeled away. ¡°Everyone, she¡¯s really a mess outside the water. If you trip her, she falls right over, and if you steal her food, she gets all gloomy, and¡­¡± ¡°St-stop!! Stop!!!¡± ©¤This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the host flustered. ©¤Imagining the host getting her food stolen and getting gloomy makes me a bit sad. ? Where does it hurt? That viewer didn¡¯t appear for a while after that chat. ©¤Are you going into the East Sea Hive together today? ©¤Is it safe? ©¤I¡¯m worried since she seems to be just a researcher. They knew well about Parang¡¯s combat abilities from numerous broadcasts, but Vertea was different. Since she introduced herself as a researcher, she gave off a weak impression. But Parang quickly corrected that misunderstanding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Vertea can go into the Hive alone and wipe them all out.¡± Vertea added. ¡°Being a researcher doesn¡¯t mean being weak. To study those things, you have to be strong. You need to see them with your own eyes and even take a bite to study them.¡± ©¤Now that I think about it, that makes sense. ©¤Crazy. The viewers¡¯ perception of Vertea shifted slightly. From a frail researcher to a ruthless monster enthusiast. Naturally, there was an inevitable question. ©¤ [ Who would win if you two fought? ] ¡°She would win.¡± Vertea answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. The viewers, who were hoping for a lucky underwater battle between the two, were quickly disappointed by Vertea¡¯s unwavering response. ©¤Is the host really that strong? ©¤Why are you surprised? The host is super strong. ©¤But wiping out a Hive alone is¡­ ©¤She did it yesterday, will do it today, and will do it tomorrow. ©¤Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. The viewers once again realized how incredible Parang was. ©¤ [ Voice recording ] ¡°She¡¯s really a mess. If you trip her, she falls right over¡­¡± ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Parang quickly skipped the voice donation. ©¤ ¡®Gets gloomy if her food is stolen.¡¯ ©¤Haha, I really can¡¯t take it. Seeing the chat teasing her, Parang smiled softly. Sometimes, it wasn¡¯t so bad to enjoy this kind of atmosphere together. Moreover, Parang had been a bit worried about whether Vertea would adapt to the broadcast. Seeing her adapt well, Parang felt relieved. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start today¡¯s broadcast. We¡¯re heading to the Hive.¡± And the viewers vaguely sensed it. It was something different from Parang. Vertea. From this unfamiliar person, they somehow felt a similar vibe to the host. The way she mercilessly shook Parang reminded them of how Parang used to torment them. And then. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-!!! ¡°Now, everyone. Look closely at this mouth. Do you see the red spot inside?¡± ©¤Aaaahhh ©¤Wha#t the h#ll ¡°Don¡¯t freak out and look properly. I won¡¯t move the camera until you say you¡¯ve seen it.¡± ©¤Today is really tough ©¤Two hosts, two hosts, two hosts, two hosts Their bad feeling was never wrong. Chapter 36: Worldwide (2) Chapter 36: Worldwide (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 36 East Sea. Train Hive. ©¤No matter how many times I see it, I can¡¯t get used to that size. ? You¡¯ve only seen it once, what are you talking about? ? Haven¡¯t you reviewed Yu Parang¡¯s clips yet? ? Of course, you have to watch each part 999 times on YouTube clips. ¡°Today, before exploring the last car, we¡¯ll investigate the third and second cars. We¡¯ve brought the monster expert, so we¡¯ll take our time explaining everything.¡± ©¤No scolding¡­? ©¤No monster massacre¡­? ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do it if I have time.¡± Parang¡¯s face turned red. Being asked to scold the viewers in front of her long-time friend was mortifying. She felt like dying from embarrassment. Even underwater, this was a separate issue. Vertea knew this and teased her gleefully. ¡°You scold your viewers?¡± She herself had once requested Parang to scold her, rolling on the floor laughing as she listened. ©¤Looks like the host is going to have a tough day, lol. ¡°Be quiet.¡± Parang said curtly. ©¤ [ Voice recording ] ¡°Aaaah!!¡± Parang skipped the donation without listening and quickly entered the third car through the window. While waiting for Vertea, the same donation kept coming in. Parang glared slightly at Vertea, who was deliberately swimming slowly. Vertea stopped teasing Parang. There was something more urgent. ¡®What should I explain first?¡¯ Scholars around the world fall into four categories. Those who have the will to explain but lack talent, those who lack both the will and talent, those who have both the will and talent, and lastly, those who lack the will but are full of talent. Fortunately for the viewers, Vertea belonged to the third category. She led Parang to the entrance of the third car, the connecting part teeming with Sakis. She thought it would be best to explain the significant parts as they moved forward. And Vertea considered this part of the train very important and wanted to explain it thoroughly. ©¤Oh¡­ ©¤The atmosphere is intense. The connecting part between the third and second cars. What was there was a massive vortex. The swirling water completely blocked the passage between the two spaces. ¡°One of the major currents in the East Sea passes through this train. The connecting part twists the water flow in such a way that it creates this vortex.¡± As Vertea said, upon closer inspection, it was clear that the vortex was part of a large flow that extended from afar, bent, and then exited to the opposite side. The viewers saw it and thought of something. ©¤It looks exactly like a gate. ©¤Right, I¡¯m not the only one who thought that. It was a gate. A vortex shaped like swirling water, a passage connecting to another world. It was remarkably similar to this vortex. ¡°Now that you mention it, it does look like that.¡± Parang agreed. She had seen quite a few gates herself, most of them opening underwater. Vertea, of course, had seen them too. So, Parang had thrown out a question expecting a casual response, but Vertea seemed not to have heard it. ¡°This vortex has a significant impact on the ecosystem of the Train Hive. Without it, cars 1, 2, 3, and 4 would all be infested with Sakis.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Of course, Parang knew the reason. It was her workplace, after all. It was just a question for the sake of the broadcast. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Look over there.¡± Where Vertea pointed, an interesting phenomenon was occurring. The corpses of fish infested with Sakis were being swept towards the vortex and then carried out of the train. ¡°The presence of this vortex creates two flows. First, the flow of the current itself. It draws water from outside the train and expels water from inside the train.¡± Parang nodded. The viewers enjoyed their daily lives while listening to Vertea¡¯s voice like a radio. ¡°Second, it creates a secondary current that draws water from car 4 to car 3. This is a weaker flow created by the vortex. Therefore, it¡¯s much weaker than the primary current, which is the vortex.¡± Vertea continued her explanation without pausing. ¡°Ultimately, the Sakis and the corpses of fish, which have no swimming ability, are gradually drawn from car 4 into the vortex and then swept out of the train by the much stronger current.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± This was something Parang didn¡¯t know. What she knew was simply that ¡®thanks to the current, the train stays healthy.¡¯ Without Sakis, the train would indeed be healthy, but that was all she knew. The viewers also seemed to have gained some insight from Vertea¡¯s explanation. ©¤Now that you mention it, that makes sense. ©¤Without this, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the parasite took over the train. ©¤Thinking about it, it¡¯s really scary. Bring the umu!! Parang quietly watched Vertea. ¡°Right? This part is very important, so I wanted to explain it.¡± She looked absolutely delighted. The viewers also seemed pleased with the clear explanation of a part they were curious about. Satisfied, Vertea moved to the train wall. Vertea thought this part of the train was very important and wanted to explain it thoroughly. And some time passed. ¡°¡­Up to here, that was the theory on why the object is indestructible.¡± ©¤Oh¡­ ©¤Hmm¡­ ©¤I see. The reactions were not as enthusiastic as before. They were tired. Vertea then grabbed a nearby monster. Vertea thought this part of the train was very important and wanted to explain it thoroughly. More time passed. Vertea grabbed a red mass attached to the wall and pulled it. Then, the flesh and teeth inside made a horrible noise as they were mixed together. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-!!! ¡°Now, everyone. Look closely at this mouth. Do you see the red spot inside?¡± Vertea inserted her fingers into the mouth to show the inside. ©¤Aaaahhh ©¤Wh#t the h#ll ¡°Don¡¯t freak out and look properly. I won¡¯t move the camera until you say you¡¯ve seen it.¡± ©¤Today is really tough. ©¤Two hosts, two hosts, two hosts, two hosts. ©¤Aaaahhh S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Parang, save me, I was wrong. ©¤Now that I think about it, the host looks like an angel. ©¤? The host was always an angel. The number of viewers was rapidly decreasing. If Vertea weren¡¯t a beautiful woman with a sweet voice, the drop would have been even steeper. Parang watched this quietly. She was deep in thought. Parang knew how to make the broadcast interesting while utilizing Vertea¡¯s explanation addiction. But the method she had in mind was purely for entertainment, which was why she hesitated. If she used her idea, it would certainly attract viewers, but it would have little effect on preventing diving. It was unrelated to the main topic, but Parang felt that her broadcasts lately had a similar vibe. They seemed to rely too much on viewer abuse, failing to deliver proper horror content. She had always thought that a calm, serene, and heavy atmosphere was needed, but somehow¡­ It seemed like today wasn¡¯t the day for such a broadcast either. She would have to aim for tomorrow. Coincidentally, the place they would explore tomorrow was the last car of the East Sea Hive. If luck was on her side, it would create a really good atmosphere. ¡®I hope there are some decent monsters.¡¯ Well, that was something to think about tomorrow. Anyway, back to the main topic. Parang didn¡¯t want to force Vertea to restrain her urge to explain while broadcasting. After all, a broadcast should be enjoyable for the person doing it. If done out of obligation, it would soon become a burden. After much contemplation, Parang finally reached a conclusion. ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯ She had to try everything she could. Otherwise, today¡¯s broadcast wouldn¡¯t go well, and if this stiff educational broadcast image stuck, Vertea¡¯s personal broadcasts would face significant difficulties. People had to watch Vertea¡¯s broadcasts for them to succeed. So, if they were going to do it, they should make it fun. She approached Vertea, who was engrossed in her explanation. ¡°Hey, Vertea.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The audience was ecstatic about Parang¡¯s intervention in the hellish lecture. ©¤Parang, I freaking love you. ©¤I realized it was spring only after the flowers had fallen¡­ ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. Ask away.¡± ¡°See that monster over there?¡± Parang pointed to a 40-meter shark monster swimming leisurely in the distance, ¡°And that monster over there,¡± She pointed to a 50-meter moray eel monster a bit further away. ¡°Who would win if they fought?¡± ¡°Oh, that would obviously be¡ª¡± ¡°How about showing it instead of explaining? I think the viewers would enjoy it.¡± Vertea hesitated for a moment. ¡°Hmm, yeah. Showing it while explaining would make it easier to understand. Just wait a moment.¡± Then she darted off somewhere. Finally, the viewers were left alone with Parang, and they soon realized what she was planning. ©¤Wow, this is going to be so fun. ©¤Am I thinking what she¡¯s thinking? ©¤Great Parang. ©¤God Parang. ©¤Queen Parang. She was about to stage a monster battle. With commentary from a monster expert, no less. Soon, Vertea returned. She was holding something in both hands, and Parang and her early viewers immediately recognized what it was. ©¤Wow, isn¡¯t that a monster egg? They had seen something similar during Parang¡¯s very first broadcast, the Galecus hunt. ©¤How did she find that so quickly? ¡°Because I¡¯m an expert. Knowing the nesting environment and having a keen eye, I can find and retrieve them right away.¡± Vertea answered this part. But what does that have to do with the battle? ¡°Hoho, you¡¯ll see. I mentioned it during the Galecus hunt broadcast.¡± The viewers then recalled what Parang had said. ¡°Most monsters can instinctively sense the state of their eggs. They can feel it even from a distance if the eggs are broken or hatched. This method is the best when you want to summon a specific monster.¡± ¡°And according to recent research, monsters can vaguely understand what destroyed their eggs. They can tell if it was another monster¡¯s teeth, claws, or even the terrain that broke the eggs.¡± So, like this¡ª Vertea smashed the two eggs in her hands together with all her might. ¨C Crack! ¨C The eggs burst and shattered instantly, scattering fragments everywhere. ¡°When you break the eggs by colliding them like this, the monsters will instantly think that their eggs were destroyed by the other.¡± Just as she said, the two monsters that were swimming leisurely stopped abruptly and began to glare at each other fiercely. ©¤Wow, this is insane. ©¤Are they really doing it? Are they really doing it? Are they really doing it? ©¤Damn, I never imagined this. The viewers¡¯ dopamine was flowing like a summer fountain. Naturally, the viewer count was also rising sharply. This was exactly what Parang had anticipated. ¡°Everyone.¡± Parang smiled triumphantly. ¡°Get your popcorn ready.¡± ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D¨D!!!!! ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D¨D!!!!! The two monsters began to charge at each other with terrifying speed. Chapter 37: Worldwide (3) Chapter 37: Worldwide (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 37 ©¤Wow, damn. ©¤The excitement is off the charts. Throughout history, pitting two fighters against each other has always been a significant part of human entertainment. Gladiators and lions, Messi and Ronaldo, fantasy and martial arts, T-Rex and Spinosaurus. Whenever there are two seemingly strong entities, bringing them together to see who is stronger has always been proven fun and engaging content. And the sight of massive monsters, tens of meters long, fighting each other was more than enough to flood the viewers¡¯ brains with dopamine. Watching a 40-meter shark tear into a 50-meter eel was more thrilling than they had imagined. Moreover, the battle was neck and neck. The balance was precarious, like walking on thin ice. This was possible because Parang had cleverly chosen two monsters with similar strength. Vertea was engrossed in providing commentary from the side. ¡°The one that looks like a shark is a monster called Hinus. It¡¯s a mutated version of a medium-sized shark species known as the fierce shark.¡± The original species, the fierce shark, is one of the few fish species that are fully viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young like mammals. However, under the influence of the gate, it had transformed into an oviparous species. This was why Vertea could find the eggs. Creatures influenced by the gate all intriguingly transform into oviparous species. Another characteristic is their incredibly strong aggressiveness. They are fast and violent. Despite its relatively small size of 40 meters, it is classified as a predator. Next, the eel. ¡°The eel monster, Muros. It¡¯s the same eel you know. Originally, its body length is about 40 meters, but this one is a bit larger.¡± Vertea continued her calm explanation. ¡°It has great elasticity, so its body can stretch like rubber. It can easily double its original length.¡± Parang assisted with the commentary from the side. ¡°As it stretches, its outer skin becomes thinner, significantly reducing its durability. The skin of a fully stretched Muros can be torn off by hand.¡± Of course, by Parang¡¯s standards. ¡°How do I know? Because I¡¯ve done it myself. It feels quite satisfying to tear it apart, like peeling an orange.¡± ©¤Parang, what are you saying¡­ ©¤But if it feels like peeling an orange, that¡¯s a good thing. ©¤This is really insane. Meanwhile, the two monsters continued their fierce battle. Mostly, Hinus would charge violently, and Muros would evade. Eels are among the more intelligent fish. How intelligent? Intelligent enough for humans to tame them. A well-trained eel can recognize its owner. As a monster, this advantage had further developed, allowing Muros to evade all of Hinus¡¯s ferocious attacks. However, Muros was slightly slower than Hinus, making counterattacks impossible as it narrowly avoided the attacks. Muros¡¯s technique of bending its body in a miraculous way to dodge Hinus¡¯s charges was astonishing, as if its entire body was made of joints (which it actually was). It made one wonder if it was really a fish. Hunters watching the broadcast unconsciously imagined themselves in Muros¡¯s place, wondering if they could dodge a charging shark at that speed underwater. And they quickly concluded. If they ever faced that shark, they would be horrifically killed without a chance to escape. ¡°Hinus is quite common among monsters. It¡¯s slightly rarer than Bellua. Its habitat range is very wide, often appearing at the 700m mark, the entrance to the monster layer. Recently, it was found at a depth of 9km, breaking records.¡± Parang added to Vertea¡¯s explanation. ¡°Sometimes, they come up even higher. On nights when the monster layer rises, you can occasionally see them at a depth of 300m.¡± The viewers knew that the monster layer rises at night. Parang had mentioned it during her swim to Hong Kong. As a result, no one in South Korea dives at night anymore. Night diving was already unimaginably dangerous without monsters, and with the monster layer rising, the thought of diving at night was completely unappealing. Unlike daytime diving, where the chance of encountering a monster is extremely low, night diving has a high probability of encountering one. Parang always emphasizes the dangers of night diving whenever she gets the chance. ¡°In fact, whether it¡¯s day or night, it¡¯s best not to dive at all¡­¡± ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D¨D!!! Parang¡¯s words were cut off by the cry of a monster. A monster that interrupted Parang deserved the Monster of the Month award. ©¤Wow. ©¤That was a solid hit. Parang looked at the ongoing battle. Hinus was now entangled by Muros. From tail to head, tightly coiled in a spiral. Due to the shark¡¯s body structure, there was no way to escape once it was entangled like this. ¡°Look closely. You can see parts of its body that are lighter in color than usual. That¡¯s the membrane that was hidden under the skin.¡± As she said, Muros had elongated its body to coil around Hinus. The constriction was so strong th Hinus pulled its teeth out of Muros. The teeth were drenched in red blood. Blood streamed down the teeth like a long thread. The problem was that it didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Hinus¡¯s teeth secrete a special chemical from their venom glands. It turns blood into a high-molecular substance.¡± Parang simplified the explanation. ¡°In other words, it makes the blood similar to egg whites.¡± If you¡¯ve ever separated the yolk from the egg white, you¡¯d know the feeling. The point is, the blood wouldn¡¯t stop. Not just not stopping, but continuously draining out of the body. The area was already thick with the blood Muros had shed. The blood mist was so dense that it obscured the view. Hinus, covered in scars, swam into the mist, ©¤Wow. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Hinus wins!! It emerged with the dried-up corpse of Muros in its mouth. ¡°Hinus wins.¡± Parang stated plainly and then swam towards Hinus. ¨C Swish. ¨C She swung her harpoon smoothly. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D!! Hinus was split in half and died instantly. The chat froze for a moment, then exploded. ©¤What was that fight I just watched? ©¤One?? Hit??? KO??? ¡°If anyone can do this, please contact me. If you can¡¯t, then don¡¯t dive.¡± ©¤Don¡¯t dive. ©¤Being this consistent is a talent¡­ The joint broadcast with Vertea continued smoothly in a good atmosphere. Except for the gate-born monsters that don¡¯t lay eggs, almost all the monsters in cars 3 and 2 fought each other. How does she find the eggs in less than 30 seconds every time?? ¡°That¡¯s thanks to years of experience and accumulated knowledge through continuous research¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a skill.¡± ¡°¡­which resulted in acquiring the skill. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Parang said in a slightly sulky voice. ©¤Is the host sulking? ©¤That was clearly a sulking tone. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± To be honest, it was a bit true. As Vertea said, besides her ability to grill fish alive, she was also excellent at finding things underwater. Whenever she discovered a new monster, she would stick to it all day, figuring out what it ate, where it nested, how its eggs looked, its weaknesses, and how many hearts it had. It was inevitable that she would develop related skills. Thus, the day¡¯s monster battles concluded with the much-anticipated Bambaspis mirror match. Parang prepared to wrap up the broadcast. ¡°Thank you so much for watching today¡¯s broadcast, and again, don¡¯t dive. I trust you won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Today was fun. And I¡¯ll be starting my own broadcast soon.¡± ©¤Are you going to do another monster battle? ©¤Will you show European monsters??? ¡°Having monster battles¡­ hmm¡­ I think we¡¯ll do it occasionally.¡± ¡°For reference, we won¡¯t be doing it on my channel. I don¡¯t even have the ability to find eggs in the first place.¡± Parang intended to make monster battles exclusive content for Vertea¡¯s broadcast. This way, it would create a unique selling point and attract more viewers. The effect of preventing diving¡­ surprisingly, judging by today¡¯s viewer reactions, seemed promising. If Parang showed the horrifying aspects of monsters, Vertea would showcase their strength. Moreover, due to the time difference, their broadcast times were completely separate. ¡°Well, anyway. That¡¯s that. Please watch Vertea¡¯s broadcasts a lot, and once again, don¡¯t dive. Got it?¡± ©¤Yes. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± With those words, Parang¡¯s broadcast ended. Shortly after the broadcast ended, a mysterious video with the entire broadcast recording and highlight edits translated into French, English, Spanish, and German started being recommended suspiciously often in European algorithms. And then. ¡°Now, then¡ª¡± ¡°We have work to do.¡± Parang and Vertea didn¡¯t leave the East Sea Hive after the broadcast ended. They were standing at the connecting part between cars 2 and 1. ¨C Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep. ¨C The detector on Parang¡¯s chest was beeping furiously. Chapter 38: Interlude (1) Chapter 38: Interlude (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 38 ¨C Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep. ¨C Following the fierce beeping signal, they arrived at the lowest entrance of car 1. There, a thick mist of blood spread like a mass, about the size of a watermelon. In the water, only hunter¡¯s blood could form such a shape. Almost certainly, the body of Slayer, Alexandra Carmen, would be inside. ¡°Was Alexandra¡¯s artifact in car 2?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s likely in car 1. Can you look for it?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Vertea swam into car 1 of the train. Left alone, Parang swallowed nervously and reached her hand into the mist of blood. ¨C Thunk. ¨C Her hand touched something. Feeling the shape with her hand, she confirmed it was a skull. There was nothing below the neck, but fortunately, diving would still be possible. Parang lifted the skull. The mist of blood followed. She carefully placed it into a pouch from her suit. Once delivered to the silo, they would separate the blood and send the skull to Xiao. # Meanwhile, Vertea. She had entered car 1. Just like under the gas stove in the Hong Kong Hive, the interior of car 1 of the train was something that could hardly be called a ¡®train.¡¯ The inside of car 1 was a cave. Thick rock masses filled the train, so the actual interior space was only about half of what it appeared from the outside. The color inside was also different from before, very dark and deep blue. She could barely make out the silhouettes of objects in front of her. ¨C Wooooong. ¨C When Vertea activated her skill, her eyes turned into red and black reverse pupils. In this state, Vertea was like a living high-performance radar. As she carefully scanned her surroundings, something caught her eye. It wasn¡¯t an artifact. The center of car 1 was filled with an alien space crowded with arms. Huge white arms stretched out from the gaps between the piled-up rocks. The massive white arms, rigid and unmoving, extended from the floor, walls, and ceiling, all pointing towards one place. It was a monster. Named Brachium, which means ¡®arm¡¯ in Latin. A truly intuitive name. ¡®No wonder.¡¯ There were suspiciously no monsters in car 1 because Brachium had taken over. To think she would encounter Brachium here. She had seen it before but didn¡¯t have the time to study it then. In the center where countless arms pointed, several arms were holding up a massive white sphere. ¡®Wait, a sphere?¡¯ Seeing it holding a sphere was a first for Vertea. Normally, there should only be arms. Vertea felt a strong urge to ¡®research¡¯ Brachium. Brachium was an ultra-rare monster that had only been sighted three times so far. Moreover, it appeared in a form she had never seen before. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if Vertea¡¯s eyes were turning. But she held back. She wanted to approach and study it immediately, but there was something more urgent at the moment. Besides, wasn¡¯t that the monster Parang needed for her broadcast tomorrow? Given Brachium¡¯s behavioral characteristics, this was likely the last monster left in this car. If she ¡®researched¡¯ it now, it would cause significant issues for Parang¡¯s broadcast tomorrow. Vertea exercised superhuman patience to resist the temptation. Soon, she found a necklace with a green gem embedded in it, lying a bit away from Brachium. Next to it was a lump of blood. Using her skill, Vertea looked inside the lump and saw a horribly crushed and mangled corpse. Seeing that there was no magic stone, it seemed Brachium had already dealt with it. Feeling goosebumps on her arm, Vertea headed outside. # ¡°Did you find it?¡± Parang asked Vertea, who was coming out of car 1, and Vertea held up the green necklace. ¡°I roughly finished the job. But¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Vertea trailed off, and Parang also sighed. The necklace in Vertea¡¯s hand was already half-destroyed. The embedded gem was shattered, with only about a quarter of its original size remaining. The chain was broken and dangling, and the once-beautiful decorations were all crushed. ¡°It was already like this when I found it. There was only Brachium nearby.¡± ¡°Brachium? In the train?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Brachium, huh. Parang pondered. Certainly, Brachium would make for a great broadcast. Its appearance alone was striking¡ªcreepy yet terrifying, evoking the mysterious deep sea. She didn¡¯t know why Brachium had settled here, but speculating on the possibilities was pointless. More important than Brachium settling in the train was the fact that a divine-grade artifact had been destroyed. It was highly likely destroyed beneath Hawaii. Even though Brachium was strong, it wasn¡¯t strong enough to destroy a divine-grade artifact. Parang looked at the green necklace. Unlike at the time of departure, she could immediately recognize what it was. ¡®Evidence.¡¯ Artifact, Evidence. The strongest druid, Alexandra Carmen, always carried this artifact from the middle to late stages of the novel. At this point, Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s crafting skills had almost reached the limits of human capability, resulting in all sorts of extraordinary artifacts. And the ability of ¡®Evidence¡¯ was ¡®memory sharing.¡¯ It allowed the user to share another¡¯s memories or share the user¡¯s memories with someone else. In the novel¡¯s progression, Hunter Han Siwoo faced a situation where he had to sacrifice his memories. He created this artifact, named it ¡®Evidence,¡¯ and entrusted it to Alexandra. Later, when Hunter Han Siwoo, who had completely lost his memories, went berserk in confusion, Alexandra, unable to harm him, took all his attacks and approached him. Covered in wounds and bleeding, with tears streaming from her eyes, Alexandra faced Han Siwoo and, saying ¡°I love you,¡± brought ¡®Evidence¡¯ to his chest. This scene is still considered one of the most iconic moments in the novel. Thanks to this, the fandom once fervently supported the ¡®Alexandra as the main wife¡¯ theory. Parang also remembered this part vividly because it left a strong impression on her. Pure love blossoming within a harem. She knew it could exist. And as Parang picked up the tearful token of love, a notification window appeared before her eyes. [ The artifact is in an unstable state. Using this artifact may result in malfunction or destruction. ] ¡®Hmm.¡¯ It seemed necessary to take it to the silo. They would repair it or do something about it. Thus, Parang obtained Alexandra¡¯s skull, blood, and ¡®Evidence.¡¯ The most significant was, of course, the skull. This would bring them one step closer to uncovering the death of the Slayers. The least significant was the blood. While it could be used to extract Alexandra¡¯s skills, it was of no use to Parang. Alexandra was a druid, after all. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Recalling a few skills off the top of her head: [ Blessing of the Earth Mother (S) ] [ Can be activated while standing on the land she has blessed. ] [ Grants powerful vitality to up to twenty people she designates. ] [ Blooming Abundance (S) ] [ Can be activated if there are seeds she has planted nearby. ] [ Instantly grows the seeds into the desired species. ] [ Divine Fortress (S) ] [ Can be activated if she hasn¡¯t moved from the ground for two hours. ] [ Divine Body (S) ] [ Requires completion of a designated ascension ritual. ] [ Possesses the body of a god. ] ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Thinking about it, Alexandra must have had the hardest time coming to the sea. Unlike other Slayers, she was practically an ordinary person the moment she entered the water. As for Divine Body, Parang wasn¡¯t sure what it was either. It wasn¡¯t described in the novel. Even the silo was still researching what exactly Divine Body was and whether it was truly divine. They just went along with the status window calling it Divine Body. In any case, the point was that Alexandra¡¯s skills were utterly useless to Parang. As a druid, Alexandra¡¯s skills had no overlap with Parang¡¯s. It was unfortunate for Parang. This applied to all members of Oceanos. Anyway, Parang and Vertea headed to the surface with their loot. On the way up, Parang received a text message on her phone. She thought it was from the silo, but it was from Russell. [Russell Bright: Who am I?] [Russell Bright: (A selfie holding a B-rank Hunter license with a thumbs-up.)] [Russell Bright: B-rank Hunter Russell Bright.] He mentioned taking the B-rank Hunter exam last time. Was today the result announcement day? Parang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. [Yu Parang: I see. So you¡¯ve become a B-rank as well.] [Yu Parang: In that case, Elvira Petrov, Vertea Fabron, Xiao. You are expelled from Oceanos.] [Yu Parang: Our B-rank Hunter party, Oceanos, doesn¡¯t need a C-rank like you.] Of course, their ranks didn¡¯t mean much, but that made it even more fun to tease them. It had become a sort of customary event by now. [Elvira Petrov: Cut the crap.] [Xiao: I swear, I¡¯ll really¡­] Parang smiled contentedly and turned off her phone. Vertea, watching her, looked incredulous. ¡°Is it fun?¡± ¡°Huh? I can¡¯t hear you over the sound of a C-rank talking.¡± Parang swam away from Vertea at an incredible speed. Vertea, momentarily stunned, quickly grasped what Parang had just said and immediately chased after her. ¡°Hey!! I can get a B-rank if I set my mind to it!!¡± ¡°Then go get it, quickly!!¡± Parang¡¯s voice, coming from far ahead, was incredibly annoying. It was all her karma, so what could she do? Parang had a sweet sleep that night, and Vertea, having returned to France, immediately filled out and submitted an application for the B-rank Hunter exam. It was her 11th attempt. Chapter 39: Interlude (2) Chapter 39: Interlude (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 39 Meanwhile, while Parang and Vertea were busy retrieving Alexandra¡¯s corpse, the community was ablaze as always. (A photo of Yu Parang¡¯s face superimposed on Delacroix¡¯s ¡°Liberty Leading the People¡±) Both are wrong. From today, this is the ¡°Yu Parang Gallery.¡± ©¤(Worship Emote) ©¤(Worship Emote) ©¤(Worship Emote) ¡­ ©¤(Worship Emote) (various GIFs of Vertea) ©¤Ah, damn it, Parang, I¡¯m sorry¡­ ©¤Ah, damn it, I like short hair ©¤Why apologize? Just watch both ? How is that possible ? Monster Instructor lives in France, so if she starts broadcasting in the afternoon, it¡¯s night here ? Wow, are you a genius? The moderator is honestly strong, but (a screenshot of Vertea boiling a monster whole) it¡¯s not like someone like this would declare defeat and submission to Yu Parang without hesitation. No matter how you look at it, it seems like she has never used her personal rank on the broadcast. ©¤Damn, now that I think about it, you¡¯re right? ©¤Even on the Hunter Association site, it¡¯s marked as private ? Well, 90% of hunters keep it private ? Where did you see that? Link please ? (link) ? Wow, the moderator was B-rank, damn? ? Didn¡¯t know? ? I obviously thought she was S-rank (a recording of Shin Yuna¡¯s broadcast) (a clip from Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast comes in as a video donation) ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already seen this, but the real highlight here is¡­¡± She stopped her own broadcast and spent an hour explaining Yu Parang¡¯s highlights. ©¤Crazy girl, lol ©¤But she¡¯s always been a bit manic ©¤What¡¯s she building in the background? ? An unmanned submarine. She¡¯s going to explore the deep sea. ? Didn¡¯t she say that before and then stopped? ? This time she got good skills and safety advice, so she says it¡¯s fine. ? Who¡¯s the safety advisor? ? Who else? It¡¯s Yu Parang. (a GIF of Muros dodging Hinus¡¯s attacks) (a GIF of Hinus slamming into the wall) ¡­ (Bambaspis staring at each other with dumbfounded expressions. The tension is palpable.) (Bambaspis battle scene. The excitement, action, narrative, emotion, and intensity are indescribable in words.) Just admit that Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast is the GOAT <- If you agree, upvote, lol ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote while howling ©¤After watching this, I tore up my Bambaspis ? Why tear it up, damn, lol ©¤It feels lacking to call it the GOAT broadcast¡­ The initial terrifying and frustrating vibe is gone. ? Why are you talking about the initial vibe for someone who¡¯s only broadcasted three times? ? But it¡¯s true, though. ? I agree with this. The vibe from when she caught Galecus is kind of gone. (Yu Parang¡¯s profile picture) The only god of broadcasting who brought light and salt to the boring, repetitive Hunter gallery Whose high points are renewed daily (Parang¡¯s broadcast profile picture) GREATEST OF ALL TIME GOAT Great Parang ©¤Upvote ©¤Upvote ©¤ (Worship Emote) Click. Shin Yuna quietly pressed the recommend button and closed the community. Ah, today¡¯s broadcast was fulfilling. Now it was time to grab popcorn and beer and review Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast. She opened the refrigerator wide. There was no beer. Yuna smacked her forehead once and headed to the convenience store. # Meanwhile, in Seoul. Hunter Association Asia Headquarters. Step- Step- Seo Sunwoo, the head of the Asia Headquarters and the Seoul branch of the Hunter Association. He walked towards the branch manager¡¯s office. A Silo spy disguised as a top executive of the Hunter Association. This meant that he had to handle his duties as the branch manager flawlessly while also managing Silo¡¯s tasks without being detected by the Hunter Association. If not for his superhuman work efficiency and physical stamina that far exceeded that of an ordinary person, he would have died from overwork long ago. Moreover, to make matters worse, this was a time when the behind-the-scenes power struggle between Silo, the world government, and the Hunter Association had reached its peak. Silo and the world government were at each other¡¯s throats over the damn sea issue, while President Natsuko, who had just seized power through a coup, was trying to gauge the situation and reorganize internal personnel. In the midst of this, Silo and the world government were trying to push their forces back into the cracks of the Hunter Association, leading to another round of strategic maneuvering between the two. In such a situation, Seo Sunwoo was working as the ¡®Hunter Association¡¯s top executive (truncated)¡¯. And then! Once again! Orders came down from Silo. The matter concerning Hunter Yu Parang. He received a message the night before last that the higher-ups had already contacted her, right after Parang met with a mysterious man. This was not part of the original plan. According to the plan, Hunter Yu Parang was supposed to first contact a key Silo figure through Seo Sunwoo at the Hunter Association. As a result, he had to overhaul nearly 70% of his planned operations. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± He rubbed his forehead with his hand. He thought he had seen it all on his way up here, but life still refused to go his way. Still, with truly superhuman mental strength and perseverance, he managed to get through each day. Amazingly, he had already handled all the tasks from Silo, including the matter concerning Hunter Yu Parang, as well as his duties as the branch manager of the Hunter Association. He planned to relieve his fatigue by brewing some high-quality green tea he had been saving in his office. Just the thought of it made him happy. But the moment he opened the door to the branch manager¡¯s office. Sip- ¡°Ah, Branch Manager.¡± Seo Sunwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel like tearing his hair out. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°President.¡± Igarashi Natsuko. He saw her, the current president of the Hunter Association, sitting on the guest sofa in his office, sipping green tea. Of course, his expression was perfect. There was no trace of annoyance or fatigue. Nor was it completely expressionless. Just a slightly bewildered look that conveyed, ¡®Why is the president here?¡¯ A thoroughly fabricated expression. He walked over and sat across from Natsuko. The aroma rising from the teacup on the table between them was strong. ¡°The green tea tastes excellent.¡± ¡°I was saving it to enjoy alone later.¡± Seo Sunwoo replied slyly. It could come off as somewhat rude, considering she was his superior. But Natsuko didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Saving it? It was right there on your desk.¡± ¡°Usually, no one enters the head office and drinks the tea on the desk without permission.¡± ¡°We¡¯re comrades who have shared life and death. I can get you more tea. And speak comfortably. It feels awkward.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, I got it.¡± Seo Sunwoo sighed deeply. His demeanor was exactly as if he were exasperated by the playful antics of a comrade who had shared life and death with him. It was an act. Seo Sunwoo truly despised Natsuko. He felt like tearing her throat out right then and there. But the words that came out of his mouth were entirely different. ¡°Now that you¡¯re the president, you should maintain some decorum. Barging into a subordinate¡¯s space out of nowhere¡­ What¡¯s the matter this time?¡± ¡°Having spent my life fighting, I¡¯m not used to it. I¡¯m more surprised at how quickly you adapted. And you know why I came.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll give it to you now, so hurry back. I don¡¯t want to spend my break time with my superior.¡± Seo Sunwoo took a small USB drive from a drawer in his desk and handed it to Natsuko. It contained Silo¡¯s confidential information. Depending on how Natsuko used it, it could certainly deal a blow to Silo. All of it was information that Silo had instructed him to leak to Natsuko. On the surface, it appeared as though Seo Sunwoo had extracted the confidential information from Silo. Silo chose to plant someone close to Natsuko, even if it meant some minor losses. One of their objectives was to maintain Natsuko¡¯s hold on power. Since Natsuko¡¯s coup, Silo had been able to infiltrate a large number of their personnel into the Hunter Association. Currently, the Hunter Association was essentially showing all its cards to Silo. If they could maintain her rule with minimal losses, it was a profitable deal. Silo intended to support Natsuko¡¯s rule, at least until she became unnecessary or uncontrollable. Eliminating her immediately would also require Silo to bear significant sacrifices. However, any information related to Yu Parang was thoroughly excluded. Natsuko only knew that the world government and Silo had been fiercely clashing recently, but she didn¡¯t know it was over sea issues. Naturally, she was also unaware of Yu Parang¡¯s true identity. To Natsuko, Parang was just a B-rank hunter, nothing more, nothing less. Given her lack of interest in hunter streaming and being Japanese, it was inevitable. Considering the current situation surrounding Yu Parang, Natsuko would soon become aware of Parang¡¯s existence, but the later that happened, the better. In any case, These reasons allowed Seo Sunwoo to firmly establish his position within the association as ¡®the sword to check Silo.¡¯ The situation where the spy sent by the Hunter Association to Silo was actually a Silo operative. Natsuko accepted the USB and gave him a faint smile. To Seo Sunwoo, that smile felt infinitely dreadful. He had seen firsthand how many people had been beheaded with that smile. The number of people who died while looking into her blood-red eyes was countless. Among them was the reason Seo Sunwoo had to live. After that reason disappeared, he found a new reason to live. To see Natsuko¡¯s body torn to pieces with his own eyes. It was his life¡¯s goal and the driving force that kept him going each day. Eventually, Natsuko left the room. The smile on Seo Sunwoo¡¯s face, as he waved, quickly hardened. What remained was intense murderous intent and hatred. But soon, even those emotions were buried deep within his heart. He took out the extra tea leaves he had hidden and began to brew them meticulously. Hoo- Slurp. In the quiet room, only the sound of drinking tea echoed in the silence. Chapter 40: Brachium Shock (1) Chapter 40: Brachium Shock (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 40 ¡°Ugh¡­ Haaa¡­.¡± Yu Parang, waking up. The last day of the East Sea exploration had dawned. Since the exploration¡¯s objective had already been achieved, she planned to quickly end the broadcast after capturing the Brachium. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Parang thought briefly about the characteristics of Brachium. ¡®Can I capture it without the Kraken?¡¯ To be honest, she wasn¡¯t sure. The strategy to capture the monster Brachium itself wasn¡¯t standardized. More precisely, there was too little research on the monster Brachium itself. What was known was that its numerous arms were all part of a single entity. Even that was inferred based on the observation that when the arms were continuously attacked, they all disappeared at once, revealing a single magic stone. Other than that, it was known to be strong, white, emerged from a gate, and had no particular preference for what it ate. And, it was likely the top predator within the monster ecosystem. This was inferred from the fact that despite being a monster that emerged from a gate, piles of Earth-origin monster corpses were found around it. The prevailing theory was that it killed everything that approached it indiscriminately due to its lack of eyesight and intelligence. Such cases were often seen on land, usually with plant-type monsters. The piles of monster corpses included those of species considered top predators at the time, leading to the conclusion that Brachium was the top predator. In summary, the information currently known about Brachium was almost nonexistent. It was as good as nothing. If asked why the research data was so lacking, it was because there had been no opportunity to study it. It was an extremely rare species. The initial discovery of Brachium itself was quite a long time ago. The first sighting was by Alice Melville at the Hive in the Drake Passage. The second sighting was by Diego Lopez Martin at the Hive in the Caribbean Sea. The third sighting was by Vertea Fabron at the Hive in the North Sea. And the fourth sighting was this time at the Hive in the East Sea. At the time of the first discovery, the organization Oceanos did not exist, so no research was conducted. During the second discovery, Diego, who had no particular interest in monster research, simply ignored it, causing the research to be abandoned. As for the third discovery, well. It was right after the ¡®Alice Incident,¡¯ when the enraged Oceanos was tearing through every monster in the world¡¯s oceans, leaving no time for research. Even Vertea, who had no interest in new monsters, killed it without a second thought. So, Parang was in a difficult position. After all, this was her first time seeing Brachium with her own eyes. Parang recalled the stories her Oceanos colleagues had shared about hunting Brachium. Alice. ¡°I forgot. Somehow, I caught it. It wasn¡¯t hard.¡± Diego. ¡°I stomped it.¡± Vertea. ¡°I boiled it along with the space it was in.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± None of it was helpful. ¡°Ah! I don¡¯t know. Something will work out.¡± It was time to start the broadcast. She quickly left her house and dove into the water. # (A screenshot from Parang¡¯s broadcast. The title simply reads ¡®East Sea Exploration Day 3.¡¯) The Great King Parang, always worth watching. Gotta watch, right? ©¤Let¡¯s go~ Let¡¯s go~ Let¡¯s go~ ©¤Isn¡¯t today¡¯s stream going to be short? Just one segment? ? This guy doesn¡¯t understand the concept of a boss fight, lol. ? Boss fight, my foot, lol. Does he think this is a game? She¡¯ll just introduce the segment and end it. ©¤If you¡¯re going to watch today¡¯s stream till the end, upvote. ? Upvote, lol. ? I¡¯m Shin Yuna, and I upvoted. ? I¡¯m not Shin Yuna, but I upvoted anyway. # Switching back to Yu Parang. ????~ She was lying still in the water. It was her favorite time of the day. She had tried playing some classical music, and it definitely set the mood. ¡®I¡¯ll just stay like this for 10 minutes.¡¯ ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C ¡°What kind of new torture is this, teacher? Please start the broadcast quickly.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She looked at the clock and realized 30 minutes had passed. She quickly headed towards the East Sea Hive. After some time, on her way to the Hive. A donation came in for Parang. ©¤ ¡®GetsDepressedWhenFoodIsTaken¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Parang pondered for a moment. ¡°No. I¡¯ve never shown it during a broadcast, and I won¡¯t show it in the future either.¡± ©¤What on earth is it? ¡°Don¡¯t be curious.¡± The viewers¡¯ questions only deepened the mystery. With all the chatter and communication, time passed, and she eventually arrived at the East Sea Hive. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ©¤Finally ©¤At last ©¤Exciting Parang stood at the entrance of the first compartment. Viewers could see the rough interior of the first compartment on the screen. ©¤Wait, isn¡¯t it supposed to be a train compartment?? ©¤I thought it was the engine room ©¤So random, why is it a cave? ¡°Certain locations within the Hive have interiors like this cave, unlike typical objects. The cause is unknown.¡± Parang continued. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll explain the monster inside beforehand before entering.¡± Parang shared some information about Brachium with the viewers, omitting any mention of Oceanos. ©¤Wow, that¡¯s seriously creepy ©¤Why does something like that even exist? ©¤But why are you explaining it beforehand today? ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to leisurely explain once inside.¡± ©¤Why is that? ¡°I told you. It¡¯s a monster with very little research, so unexpected situations can arise.¡± ©¤It looks strong, but shouldn¡¯t the host be able to handle it? They say you can solo wipe out a Hive. ¡°That¡¯s when my personal skill is activated. Without it, I¡¯m not sure what will happen either.¡± ©¤If it¡¯s that serious, just activate it. ©¤This is basically making us more curious, right? ¡°No means no.¡± As she said. No means no. ¡°Of course, if an unexpected situation arises, I¡¯ll end the broadcast immediately. Sometimes there are monsters that can launch mental attacks even through the screen.¡± She had already given Silo the authority to forcibly stop the broadcast. In fact, even without Parang granting such authority, Silo could stop the broadcast at any time. For example, by blocking Parang¡¯s streaming account or shutting down the server. Both Parang and Silo knew this. Hence, they made a mutually beneficial deal. Parang could appear cooperative to Silo, and Silo had fewer hassles to deal with. Whether Brachium could launch such mental attacks was unknown. Countless questions flooded the chat, but Parang ignored them and entered the train compartment. Once inside, she fixed the broadcast screen to a first-person view. She needed to set the mood. Brrrr- The inside was entirely different from what it looked like from the outside. While it seemed like a dark cave from the outside, inside, it felt suffocatingly oppressive. ©¤The atmosphere is intense;; The surroundings were almost navy blue, nearing indigo, with rocks and boulders barely discernible as black silhouettes. And in the distance, a space filled with countless arms. Parang headed there without hesitation. Slowly, keeping a sufficient distance. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the dark underwater cave, countless human arms. The fear, dissonance, and eeriness from the unnaturalness and grotesqueness were palpable. The numerous white arms swayed, some stiffened, and others trembled grotesquely while bent. As a monster that emerged from a gate, Brachium would consider Parang a top-tier prey. The moment it sensed her, it would act immediately. But Parang approached Brachium. Slowly, slowly. Unfortunately, Parang did not have any techniques to erase her presence. So, if she was detected, she was prepared to strike. Naturally, her movements were cautious and quiet. As she approached Brachium, she examined it closely. At first glance, it matched the descriptions she had heard from others, but there was one difference. ¡®A sphere.¡¯ At the center of the numerous arms were arms holding up a sphere. Parang did not know what it was or if it was part of Brachium. Perhaps this monster was a separate species very similar to Brachium. Tap-. Finally, Parang reached the outermost arm of Brachium¡¯s space. An arm bent at the elbow in an L-shape, completely still. It was about 10 meters long. It extended from a crevice in the rock, looking as if it had burst through the ground. She thought it might be a bit soft since it was an arm, but when she touched it lightly with her hand, it was very hard. The first thing Parang did upon seeing it was, Thud- Thud. Clear away the surrounding rocks. Logically, beneath the rocks, there should be something essential, whether it was Brachium¡¯s main body or something else. Her goal was to see that. No matter how indestructible an object was, it was possible to move something that was already separated. Parang lifted and moved rocks as big as her body. While her strength was considerable, the surprisingly light weight of these rocks, despite their appearance, also played a part. One by one, as she removed the rocks, the shape of Brachium buried beneath them was revealed. However, Parang did not get a chance to observe that shape. ¡°¡ö¡ö ¡ö.¡± A sound came from behind her. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was a voice, a cry, the sound of waves, rocks colliding, or arms swinging. When Parang turned around, she found herself in the middle of Brachium¡¯s space. The sphere being held up was right in front of her face. Somehow, her body was now held by numerous arms. Small arms sprouted from the fingers of the large arms, and tiny fingers from those small arms, wrapping around her entire body. ¡®Damn¡­!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a hallucination. Such things wouldn¡¯t work on Parang. Brachium had moved. She didn¡¯t know how. Silently, without any movement. Directly towards her. Precisely. Even without her feeling it touch her body. ¡®Damn¡­!¡¯ It was a predicament. And then Brachium opened its eyes. A pupil grew from the giant white sphere. Blue. Deep space. The color of home. [Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is activated.] Parang quickly made a decision and took action. [Skill, ¡®Aqua Pulse¡¯ is activated.] In an instant, a wave burst from Parang¡¯s body, causing the surrounding arms to stop moving. They were paralyzed. She threw a harpoon, piercing Brachium¡¯s eye. ¡°¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡­.¡± Shrrr. It seemed that was the weak point. Brachium collapsed instantly, turning into a magic stone. It was an anticlimactic and feeble end. Parang quickly turned on her phone to check the broadcast status. [This broadcast has ended.] It seemed Silo had forcibly ended it. She fervently hoped that it was just her own blunder and nothing more. Parang desperately wished that nothing had happened to the people beyond the monitor. But her eyes froze on the last messages left by the viewers just before the broadcast ended. ©¤ Open your eyes. ©¤ Open your eyes. ©¤ Open your eyes. ©¤ Open your eyes. ©¤ Open your eyes. ©¤ Open your eyes. ¡®Ah.¡¯ This was bad. Parang immediately started swimming upwards. Chapter 41: Brachium Shock (2) Chapter 41: Brachium Shock (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 41 Thud- Thud- Yuna watched Parang¡¯s broadcast screen with bated breath. She recalled what Parang had told her last night. ¡®I plan to keep this broadcast a bit more tranquil.¡¯ What part of this was tranquil? Did Parang truly not know the difference between suffocating silence and tranquility? In truth, it didn¡¯t matter to her what kind of atmosphere Parang¡¯s broadcasts had. She had already become a die-hard fan. And from the perspective of a die-hard fan, she could definitely say that this broadcast was distinctly different from the previous ones. A bizarre monster whose nature was unimaginable, a cold and heavy atmosphere that weighed down. Yuna watched the broadcast intently, unaware of the sweat forming in her clenched fist. ¡°¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡± It was then that a voice was heard from the screen. The screen suddenly turned. In front of her was the eye of that monster called Brachium. A giant, serene deep blue eye. The sea. The universe. Infinity. The world. The moment it appeared on the screen, a window popped up in front of Yuna¡¯s eyes. [Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is activated.] [Strongly resisting mental attack.] [Status effect ¡®Open Eyes¡¯ has been mitigated to ¡®Headache¡¯.] ¡®What?!¡¯ Yuna jumped up in surprise. Open Eyes? She had never encountered such a status effect in her life. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Yuna¡¯s head. It felt as though something immense had entered her mind, but an invisible wave had swept it away, leaving only a mild headache. ¡®Status window!¡¯ [Status Window: Shin Yuna] [Personal Skill: Hammering Start! (A)] [Skill List] [Waterproof Sanity (S), Indomitable Blacksmith (S), Last Touch (S) ¡­(More)] [Current Status] [Headache (Mitigated) 02:54] ¡°Huff, huff¡­.¡± Yuna panted heavily. She quickly started to think. She had strongly resisted the unknown status effect called Open Eyes. As a result, she ended up with the lowest-grade mental status effect, a headache. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Given the resistance mechanism of mental barrier-type skills, if the skill can fully block the resisted status effect, the user won¡¯t be affected by the status effect at all. In other words, if one resists ¡®Charm¡¯ at an average level, they won¡¯t end up with ¡®Mild Charm¡¯ but will simply ignore the charm altogether. That means¡­ The result of ¡®strongly resisting¡¯ the status effect called ¡®Open Eyes¡¯ was not ignoring the status effect but having a headache. So, what on earth is the original status effect ¡®Open Eyes¡¯? And what about the viewers who couldn¡¯t resist it? Goosebumps rose on Yuna¡¯s arms. She quickly checked Parang¡¯s broadcast screen. [This broadcast has ended.] The last messages in the chat. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. Next, she checked the community. ¡­ All written by different people. This eerie feeling was the first since her initial encounter with Yu Parang. Her whole body felt chilled, and her limbs tingled. Despite this, her curiosity remained, so Yuna tried to click on one of the numerous posts in the community, [Connection failed. The connection is unstable.] Of all times, the internet had to be unstable now, causing her to fail. Yuna, feeling weak, slid down from her chair. Bzzz-!! Her phone rang as she sat on the floor, panting. It was a call from Yu Parang. Click. ¡°H-hello.¡± A frantic voice came from the other side. ¡°Yuna! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I resisted with a skill. I just have a slight headache.¡± ¡°Phew¡­.¡± A sigh of relief. ¡°Do you know how much time is left on that headache status effect?¡± ¡°Just 2 minutes and 30 seconds left now.¡± Yuna¡¯s voice was calm, but she was trembling. ¡°2 minutes and 30 seconds. Got it. Thank you.¡± ¡°N-no problem. But what on earth is this¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later! Are you at home right now?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Stay inside if possible. I¡¯m underwater right now, so it¡¯s hard to assess the situation¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Beep- beep- In the silence of her home, only the signal tone echoed. # Meanwhile, somewhere on Earth. In an enormous situation room, numerous people in suits were bustling about. ¡°Broadcast forcibly terminated!¡± ¡°Blocked internet access for all viewers of Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast!¡± ¡°Aagh!! My head!! My head!!! Aaaaargh!!!!¡± ¡°You and you! Drag that guy out and detain him!!¡± ¡°Erase all records from social media, communities, and messengers.¡± ¡°Contact from Hunter Yu Parang! The remaining duration of the status effect is 2 minutes and 30 seconds!¡± ¡°Report that the situation is roughly under control!¡± These are the personnel who gather here to monitor the broadcast whenever Parang goes live. It¡¯s to handle situations exactly like this. The purpose is to prepare for the chaos that might ensue if a ¡®broadcast accident¡¯ occurs during Parang¡¯s live stream. One might wonder, ¡®Do we really need to go this far? Can¡¯t we just edit and upload a recorded video?¡¯ To put it simply, managing live broadcasts is better than that approach. There are several reasons for this. Primarily, the world here exercises severe censorship over video media. Although it claims to be a democracy, it essentially operates under a dictatorship bolstered by force. Despite showing incredibly competent governance in areas like public safety, welfare, and quality of life improvements, public opinion isn¡¯t entirely favorable. There¡¯s a divide between those who think ¡®as long as life is good, it¡¯s fine¡¯ and those who argue ¡®even so, a global dictatorship is too much¡¯. To maintain power, the regime imposes strict regulations on all video media except live broadcasts. Why don¡¯t they impose sanctions on live broadcasts? Firstly, it¡¯s hard to regulate. Imagine controlling every individual streaming live broadcasts worldwide. Moreover, imposing regulations could seriously plummet public morale. Live broadcasts already scratch an itch that the regulated media cannot satisfy, which is why it has become the world¡¯s number one hobby, even surpassing professional sports. If that were regulated, global protests could indeed erupt. Then, organizations like Silo and the Hunter Association could leverage the ¡®overthrow dictatorship¡¯ narrative to attack the world government. In essence, while recorded media is heavily censored, live broadcasts are not. Among the censorship criteria for videos is ¡®content that can cause excessive fear or disgust, leading to social unrest.¡¯ This regulation has been in place since before the Ascension, so it wasn¡¯t specifically targeted at Parang, but it can be applied to her videos depending on interpretation. In fact, the edited versions of Parang¡¯s broadcasts uploaded to T-Tube are significantly toned down. Therefore, it¡¯s only natural that the deterrent effect is drastically lower compared to live broadcasts. Secondly, from Silo¡¯s perspective, they somewhat hoped for an accident to occur during a live broadcast. While it might not be Parang¡¯s intention, a major accident would significantly reduce the number of people diving underwater. Initially, before meeting Parang, Silo had planned to secure and widely distribute videos of people dying in the deep sea. Parang¡¯s appearance put that plan on indefinite hold, as circumventing censorship would require significant sacrifices. Nevertheless, if an incident discourages people from diving, it benefits Silo. ¡®Then why create a situation room to control the situation? Why not let the incident spread widely?¡¯ If you thought that, you¡¯d be mistaken. A single incident won¡¯t stop people worldwide from diving. Thus, Silo needs a sustainable approach. Multiple incidents need to occur. However, if Silo takes no action on accidents happening on their platform repeatedly, what then? Once or twice, they can say, ¡®We were also surprised.¡¯ But by the fourth, fifth, or sixth time, the association and government will start attacking them under the pretext of ¡®inciting social unrest.¡¯ So, Silo¡¯s control actions serve as a way to create justification and build trust. Additionally, Silo needed to approach issues arising from the sea somewhat conservatively. They had to test how much control they could exert over incidents occurring in the sea. This time, they aimed for the ideal goal of ¡®nothing happened!¡¯ in their control attempt. Of course, that¡¯s an ideal goal. With a mental attack targeting all viewers of an internet broadcast watched by an unspecified large number of people, it¡¯s unlikely to be fully achievable. The theoretical goal is just that, the practical goal is more like ¡®there was a brief commotion.¡¯ In any case, the point is that Silo used this incident to verify whether they could control the deep sea. Ultimately, their goal is to take full control of the sea, ousting the irrational world government, investigating the death of the Slayers, and eliminating any hidden threats. It would be a real problem if an irreversible issue arose while they were investigating the sea. That¡¯s why they were so fixated on Parang. Silo believed that with her and Oceanos, they could handle any incident that might occur. And since it¡¯s an experiment, the more occurrences, the better, so they hoped for more incidents during Parang¡¯s broadcasts. Of course, Silo had no way to induce incidents under the sea, so they could only hope for one to happen. Naturally, Parang¡¯s viewer count would take a massive hit. Who would want to watch a broadcast where they could get a status effect? But this is also a problem that Silo could solve. A corporation capable of going toe-to-toe with the world government surely can manage a broadcast. There are countless ways to do it. Anyway, for these reasons, Silo created and operates this situation room. Everyone in the situation room carried powerful anti-psychotic artifacts, allowing them to respond calmly even in sudden situations. ¡°I love you!!! Dance with me!!! Sing a song for me!!!¡± Of course, there were a few exceptions. Those who hadn¡¯t repaired their artifacts or had weak mental fortitude. Ideally, they would give everyone a Waterproof Sanity and have them monitor underwater, but Silo¡¯s supply of Parang¡¯s blood was limited. Nevertheless, Silo was still Silo, and despite the sudden situation, they managed to respond in their own way. So, what measures did they take to create the ¡®nothing happened!¡¯ state? First, internet shutdown. They shut down all major portal sites, SNS, messengers, and other servers under the pretext of ¡®connection issues¡¯ or ¡®server maintenance.¡¯ For about three minutes, they made it so that the internet didn¡¯t exist in the world. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There would undoubtedly be troublesome issues later, but there was no more certain way to prevent the spread of the incident. The pre-prepared action protocol listed ¡®internet shutdown¡¯ as the top priority. They had the capability and the obligation to do so. Even in a world where technology allowed the internet to function 11 km underwater, people were surprisingly accepting of the ¡®connection issue¡¯ excuse. Next was internet clearing. They deleted all records left by those affected by the Brachium. Of course, including the problematic scene where Brachium opened its eyes. Next was analyzing the symptoms of the victims. ¡°Open your eyes. Open your eyes. Open your eyes. Open your eyes.¡± By a twist of fate, one person inside the situation room was afflicted with the ¡®Open Eyes¡¯ status effect. Upon hurriedly checking, it turned out they weren¡¯t wearing an anti-psychotic artifact. The reason would be questioned later, but for now, they were temporarily isolated in the locker room for observation. The observation revealed that the person alternated between staring at the ceiling and the floor, muttering ¡®Open your eyes.¡¯ Seeing the phenomenon in the chat and community, they handed the person a pen, and they tried to continuously write ¡®Open your eyes¡¯ on the wall. For Silo, this wasn¡¯t a bad situation. If the person had immediately tried to hang themselves or gouge out someone else¡¯s eyes, it would have been a significant problem. And then, time passed. ¡°Three minutes have passed. Situation resolved. Status effect lifted.¡± With trembling voices, everyone sighed in relief. Thus, thanks to Silo¡¯s swift response, the approximately three-minute ¡®Brachium Shock¡¯ came to an end. Chapter 42: Brachium Shock (3) Chapter 42: Brachium Shock (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 42 In conclusion, Silo¡¯s decision to shut down the internet was correct. That measure significantly contributed to preventing the spread of the incident. Despite it being a weekday afternoon, the number of people watching Parang¡¯s broadcast outdoors was relatively very low. This is because Parang¡¯s main audience consists of Hunters. Due to the nature of their job, on days when they don¡¯t enter gates, they mostly stay at home. The murderous heat of July also played a part in keeping Hunters from going out. In such a situation, shutting down the internet meant that it couldn¡¯t affect the outside world. And surprisingly, even the Hunters watching Parang¡¯s broadcast outdoors, specifically inside gates, were mostly safe. Sometimes, Hunters enter gates that are significantly below their required skill level. They might be tired of life-and-death battles, have earned enough money, and enter gates as a pastime. Since it gets boring to go through gates all day, they often play Parang¡¯s broadcast like a radio because of her pleasant voice. These Hunters didn¡¯t directly watch the screen. Hence, they never made eye contact with Brachium. Perhaps because of this, they weren¡¯t affected by the ¡®Open Eyes¡¯ status effect. However, Silo couldn¡¯t do much for non-awakened viewers watching the broadcast outside, such as at work or school. They tried to control the information, but it was inevitable that the world government and the Hunter Association would notice. An incident like this, an awareness disaster targeting an unspecified large number of people via an internet broadcast, was bound to be noticed. This information would undoubtedly reach both the world government and the Hunter Association. But this was an outcome that Silo Corporation had anticipated. At first glance, it might seem like such information reaching the world government would be a fatal blow to Silo. But upon closer inspection? Even from the world government¡¯s perspective, something about it doesn¡¯t sit well. It was good that Silo caused an incident, but unfortunately, it happened underwater. To publicize it would mean informing the world about terrifying monsters living in the deep sea. To cover it up would mean missing an opportunity to hit Silo. A dilemma. The term ¡°hot potato¡± fits perfectly. This was exactly what Silo relied on. They could pretend nothing happened even if incidents kept popping up underwater all day. The real concern was the Hunter Association. While the world government consistently acted with a ¡®sea! people! put them in!¡¯ approach, the Association was unpredictable. It wasn¡¯t strange that Silo¡¯s attention was focused on the Association during this incident. That day, Seo Sunwoo received three green teas. Anyway. The isolated personnel who had been affected by the status effect fell asleep immediately after the duration ended and woke up 30 minutes later, stating, ¡®I don¡¯t remember.¡¯ They were aware they had been under a status effect called ¡®Open Eyes,¡¯ but they had forgotten all memories from those three minutes. Additional tests were conducted just in case, but nothing unusual was found. It could be said that Silo had taken all possible preemptive measures regarding the ¡®Brachium Shock.¡¯ What remained were the post-incident measures. It was time to watch the world¡¯s reaction. # ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Meanwhile, Yu Parang. The superstar who drove both fans and critics (literally) crazy poked her head out of the waters off the coast of Pohang. ¡°Inhale- exhale¡­.¡± She let out a sigh filled with many meanings. Her first broadcast accident. To be honest, she really didn¡¯t want to admit it, but¡­ She had let her guard down. She could have been more attentive. She could have kept a closer watch on her surroundings. She could have done better. She felt upset. The broadcast, which was meant to inform people about the dangers of the deep sea, ended up putting them in danger instead. Of course, anyone who watched the series of events might side with Parang. Who could have known that the arm embedded in the ground would move? Who could have guessed that what the hands were holding up would be an eye? Who could have predicted that Brachium would penetrate the monitor and launch a mental attack? Moreover, Parang handled the aftermath quite well. She quickly assessed the situation and dealt with Brachium. It was just a small lapse in vigilance. A tiny lapse that anyone could make, leading to the worst outcome. So, one could argue that Parang wasn¡¯t at fault. But human thinking doesn¡¯t work that way. People were harmed because of her mistake, and they could have been seriously injured. And these were people who liked her. When that happens, people shrink back. They lose confidence and become discouraged. No one can shamelessly say, ¡®I made a mistake, but it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal,¡¯ with confidence. No matter how many lifetimes one has lived, such emotions aren¡¯t easily experienced. She almost caused irreversible chaos in society due to a single mistake. These are not emotions that a person can normally experience in everyday life, regardless of being a reincarnator or not. Depression, disappointment, guilt. These were the emotions Parang was feeling. Falling into depression is like sinking into deep water; if you don¡¯t swim out, you keep sinking deeper. Downward, downward. There¡¯s a reason why depression is often compared to submersion. What pulled Parang out of her deepening depression was a single text message. It was from Xiao. That message snapped Parang back to her senses. Right. She couldn¡¯t let herself be paralyzed by this incident. The beings who reached the pinnacle of humanity and became gods were dead, and the world was now in danger. Almost certainly. And Parang had the ability to save the world in crisis. Sometimes, the fact that one ¡®can¡¯ do something equates to the obligation that one ¡®must¡¯ do it. Saving the world is one of those things. So, Parang had the duty to save the world. What good would it do to sit here and wallow? Yet, ignoring her mistakes wasn¡¯t in Parang¡¯s nature either. Whether it was a mistake or a lapse in vigilance, it was still her fault. So, she should take responsibility for her mistakes and apologize. Finally, her mind felt a bit clearer. Why had she been agonizing over this? She emerged from the water with renewed vigor and stood confidently on the pier. Then she typed a message on her phone. On August 4th, Parang had to meet Seo Sunwoo. The fact that Parang, who could now easily contact key personnel in Silo, was being specifically summoned meant that there was still something only Seo Sunwoo could offer or request. Most likely, it was related to the Hunter Association. After that, she had to decide whether to accept the invitation from the world government. The more information she had, the better. Thus, the dive into Alexandra Carmen¡¯s memories was scheduled for August 3rd. # Meanwhile, at a branch of the Hunter Association somewhere in the world. ¡°Please leave it there.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Another document was placed on the desk of a woman sitting in a plush-looking chair, reviewing papers. The man who placed the document bowed once and then walked out of the office. Red eyes and long black hair. The Association President, Natsuko, turned her gaze to the document the man had left. It was a confidential document from Silo. Although Natsuko was often evaluated as lacking in strategy compared to her overwhelming combat power, she wasn¡¯t so foolish as to rely solely on Seo Sunwoo for all information about Silo. She had someone on her side secretly extracting information from Silo as well. Of course, the information wasn¡¯t as detailed or high-quality as what Seo Sunwoo provided. It was vague, blurry, and of lower quality. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, these pieces of information were for verification. They were used to cross-check and roughly determine the authenticity of the information Seo Sunwoo brought. And eventually. As Natsuko carefully scanned the document, she came across a name that caught her eye. ¡®Yu Parang¡­.¡¯ Her bright red eyes fixated on the name. ¡®An underwater Hunter, huh.¡¯ It seemed necessary to investigate further. # And the next day. Saturday, August 3rd. The six members of Oceanos gathered at Parang¡¯s house, around the tank. Xiao looked down at the skull in her hand. It belonged to the world¡¯s strongest druid, the woman who became a god, Alexandra Carmen. ¡°The condition is worse than I thought. We can only see up to three hours before her death.¡± Xiao said as she looked around at the group. ¡°¡­Are you ready? I¡¯m telling you in advance because I¡¯m worried, you should brace yourselves.¡± A tense silence filled the room. What had she seen to make her say this? ¡°¡­Phew.¡± She let out a tense sigh and activated her skill. ¡°Dive.¡± Splash! Soon, everyone¡¯s consciousness plunged into Alexandra¡¯s memories. Chapter 43: When the Abyss Gazes Back at You (1) Chapter 43: When the Abyss Gazes Back at You (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 43 Splash-! What appeared before them as they dived into Alexandra¡¯s memories were the Slayers in the midst of a fierce battle. ¡°Tsk. We can¡¯t see the memories from her ascension. What a pity.¡± ¡°Russell. Xiao said we could only see up to four hours before her death. What were you doing, not listening?¡± Elvira¡¯s curt rebuke was a common occurrence among the Oceanos, but this time, Xiao¡¯s reaction was a bit different. ¡°Quiet. Focus.¡± Her unusually heavy and serious tone was enough to make everyone, including Parang, feel slightly intimidated. Small talk was set aside. They focused on the Slayers¡¯ battle scene. But¡­ something felt off. ¡°What are they fighting?¡± No matter how they looked around, there was no apparent enemy, only a massive number of minor monsters, including Bellua, swimming around. It was almost like a sea of water and fish. Even Han Siwoo and the Slayers were firing various skills downward. Curious about what it was, they looked down and saw a pit, as if a sinkhole had formed. ¡°Xiao. Pause for a moment and explain. We can¡¯t understand anything just by watching this.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With the viewpoint directed downward, Xiao paused the playback. ¡°What¡¯s in that pit? Are they fighting that?¡± Impatient Russell couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity and asked Xiao. ¡°No. They¡¯re fighting the pit itself.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Look closely. That¡¯s not a sinkhole. It¡¯s a mouth.¡± At Xiao¡¯s words, the entire Oceanos team stiffened as they closely examined the pit. It was true. They had thought it was a geological feature, a sinkhole, because it was so massive, but now they saw teeth-like structures around the circular pit. They were fighting a gigantic mouth. A mouth with a radius of several kilometers. Its existence made them question whether such a thing should even exist in the world. Moreover, the mouth wasn¡¯t just sitting there, passively taking the attacks. Shuaaaa-!!! The enormous mouth, which had been withstanding the Slayers¡¯ attacks, suddenly opened even wider and began to suck in water at an incredible speed. Rumble, rumble, rumble¨C!! The ground in the area shook violently, and everything around was seen being sucked into the giant mouth. ¡°Crazy, what kind of water flow¡­.¡± ¡°It seems to be about 25 meters per second,¡± Elvira said, watching the Bellua being helplessly dragged down. A speed of 25 meters per second is roughly 100 kilometers per hour. The speed of a military high-speed boat is about 50 knots, which translates to approximately 92 kilometers per hour. In other words, even a military high-speed boat couldn¡¯t escape this vortex. A vortex created by a hole with a radius of several kilometers was causing a catastrophe in the area. Hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters swimming around were all being sucked into the pit without any resistance. The water flow was already fast, but with the current forming a whirlpool, there was no way to escape. It was indeed powerful. Shuaaaa¡­¡­ Just when they thought the vortex, which had lasted for several minutes, had subsided, another attack came. Gurgle- gurgle- The pit, which had sucked in all the water, began to writhe violently. There is an eternal truth in the world: if something goes in, something must come out. However, what came out of this pit was far more horrific than what had gone in. Kuaaaaa-!!!! A dark purple, ominous-looking liquid, unimaginable as something that could be expelled after sucking in water, erupted from the pit like a volcanic explosion. If liquid were ejected at that speed, even if it were just water, the physical impact would be fatal upon contact. But this demonic pit took it a step further by spewing out a highly toxic substance. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-!! ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡­¡­. The monsters that managed to avoid the liquid from the pit suddenly began to drop dead. As if possessed by Sakis, they flipped belly-up and floated. And after a while, their bodies started to decay. Their flesh turned into blackish powder, scattering in the water, leaving only skeletal remains. All the monsters in the vicinity, regardless of type, died in this manner. The poison didn¡¯t stop there; it spread. And it spread quickly. Within less than a minute of the poison being released, the entire area was so filled with it that visibility was almost zero. Other bizarre attacks continued. Tentacles the size of buildings burst through the ground, or countless eyes inside the pit stared straight up, launching mental attacks. Parang thought. Did the Slayers get annihilated fighting something like that? Annihilated¡­? She felt something was off. Indeed, the pit felt like a final boss. Its size and impact were overwhelming. Even if all six members of Oceanos attacked together, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to achieve a complete victory. Details would only be known after fighting, but a decisive victory was clearly impossible. If things went awry, there was even a risk of losing two or three members. Even though Parang was there, and eventually Kraken would absorb it, it would take a considerable amount of time to absorb a monster of that size, even for Kraken. If anyone were to take a direct hit from the pit¡¯s attacks during that time¡­. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ She erased the horrific thoughts from her mind. But¡­ There was no way it could annihilate all 16 Slayers who possessed the bodies of gods. In fact, it seemed more likely that the Slayers could achieve a complete victory without any casualties. Of course, if Oceanos had sixteen members, the result would undoubtedly be a complete victory. Anyway, it didn¡¯t seem like the Slayers would have been defeated and annihilated here. In fact, the Slayers were already gaining the upper hand. The fact that Oceanos could observe the series of attacks from the pit meant that Alexandra had to be alive. ¡°Everyone, hold on tight!!!¡± ¡°Thanks, Siwoo!!¡± When the pit sucked in water, Hunter Han Siwoo raised a massive steel beam from the ground, allowing everyone to hold on and survive. ¡°Yuri!!¡± ¡°Let there be light!!!¡± When the pit spewed poison, everyone was safe thanks to the protective shield cast by Kang Yuri¡¯s skill. ¡°Dieeeee!!!!¡± ¡°Disappear! You filthy thing!!¡± Even after that, the Slayers continued to counter the bizarre techniques pouring out of the pit by skillfully using their abilities at the right moments. If one member was using a powerful skill and facing a penalty, the other members would step in to protect them. As expected of the protagonist party, their individual combat prowess and combination were outstanding. And time passed. Two hours before Alexandra¡¯s death. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡­¡­¡­!!! The Slayers had defeated the pit. The result was the survival of all 16 Slayers, including Alexandra. ¡°What the¡­.¡± ¡°Quiet. From now on, it¡¯s really important.¡± Xiao interrupted again, her voice even more serious than before. Grumbling, Russell began to focus again. ¡°Looks like we won, right?¡± Hunter Han Siwoo turned to look at the Slayers. As expected of the protagonist, he was handsome. With a bright halo behind him, he truly looked like the main character. Looking back, there were many beauties. As female protagonists in a novel, they all had sculpted appearances. Some were completely exhausted from the fierce battle, but ultimately, everyone survived. ¡°It seems so. But where exactly are we? Weren¡¯t we supposed to ascend?¡± From here, everyone started to pay attention. This was indeed an important conversation. ¡°I have no idea. To begin with, I don¡¯t even know why we went out into space. We were supposed to stop much lower. We shouldn¡¯t have come down into this water in the first place.¡± A woman in a researcher¡¯s coat and horn-rimmed glasses spoke curtly. Charlotte Aira. The scientist and researcher of the Slayers. She was the one who discovered and designed the ¡®Ascension Ritual.¡¯ ¡°Was there a miscalculation?¡± ¡°I checked the calculations dozens of times. Of course, given the outcome, I¡¯m not denying the possibility of my mistake.¡± ¡°Even so, how could the Ascension Ritual lead directly into that damned pit? It was clearly a trap. We were like fish caught on a hook.¡± ¡°Well, it ended up with the fish eating the fisherman¡­.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, this isn¡¯t going to get us anywhere right now. Let¡¯s head up first. Maybe we¡¯ll see something once we¡¯re out of the water.¡± In the midst of the commotion, Hunter Han Siwoo mediated the situation with a friendly smile. Parang felt a strange emotion watching this. Even though she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to them after her reincarnation, these were still key characters from the novel she loved. Seeing them laughing and chatting in reality made her feel somewhat emotional. ¡°Wait, Siwoo. There¡¯s one last thing I need to say.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No matter how I look at it, this place is Earth.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Is that really true?!¡± ¡°Among the strange creatures circling the pit earlier, there was one I recognized.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°It was a Bellua Maria, a creature from Earth. A monster said to come from a gate in the ocean.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying this is Earth?!¡± ¡°Most likely, yes.¡± ¡°No, no, no! Hold on!! We were in space. How did we suddenly teleport to Earth¡¯s ocean? Does that even make sense?! Maybe we entered a giant space gate or something like that?!¡± ¡°Marie. First, given that the Ascension Ritual already had an error, it¡¯s not that unnatural for something like this to happen. Second, it¡¯s ridiculous to think this vast space is inside a gate.¡± ¡°Well, maybe space gates are different¡­.¡± ¡°I always feel this, but your imagination is something else, Marie¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s stop. If this really is Earth, it¡¯s better to go up and figure out the cause. Let¡¯s get out of the water first and think.¡± But they never made it out of the water. ¡°Siwoo. Over there.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. I see it too.¡± ¡°What¡­ what is that¡­?¡± From a distance, something was approaching. At first, Parang thought it was a cloud. Despite being underwater, she thought so because it genuinely looked like a cloud. There was even a dark shadow beneath it. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Oceanos to realize what it was. An enormous number of underwater monsters. Countless monsters were swimming toward them, enough to darken the entire field of vision. There seemed to be millions, perhaps even tens of millions of them. It was as if every monster in the world had gathered to fight the Slayers. What Parang had thought was a shadow was actually a multitude of statues walking along the seabed. Yes, those statues. Countless statues were marching in rows and columns toward the Slayers. It was truly an army of monsters. The footage was from 90 minutes before Alexandra¡¯s death.ss Chapter 44: When the Abyss Gazes Back at You (2) Chapter 44: When the Abyss Gazes Back at You (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 44 ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± Oceanos had fought many battles in the sea, but they had never seen monsters swarm like clouds before. ¡°That¡¯s the ¡®Ghost Ship,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It seems like it.¡± Each one of them was a monster occupying the top position in the ecosystem. If Brachium was an unverified predator, the Ghost Ship was the real deal. There were many sighting records, and Oceanos had fought them numerous times. Through those encounters, they were classified as ¡®apex predators.¡¯ There were almost hundreds of such Ghost Ships. In addition, there were countless other monsters with unimaginable levels of danger. Of course, there were also many monsters that Oceanos had never encountered before. And the ¡®statues¡¯ were swarming like an army. Compared to the earlier pit, this battle was certainly more challenging. No, but still. ¡®But it still looks like the Slayers can handle it¡­.¡¯ It was clear that this would be an incredibly tough fight. ¡°Hmm, it looks doable?¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± But just like the conversation the Slayers were having now, it wasn¡¯t a battle where they would be annihilated. Moreover, they had an emergency escape device as a backup plan. The Slayers, who didn¡¯t know why they were dragged into this underwater situation during their ascension, made the right decision to fight and gather information afterward. ¡°If it gets too dangerous, escape immediately. If this really is Earth, we should be able to move to our hideout,¡± Hunter Han Siwoo quickly decided. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°They¡¯re swarming in disgustingly.¡± Thus began the Slayers¡¯ final battle. # ¡°Eek!!¡± ¡°Alexandra!! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°Yeah. It just grazed me.¡± Han Siwoo quickly approached Alexandra, who had let out a sharp scream, and checked on her. Indeed, the battle was turning unfavorable for the Slayers. In a fight against an overwhelming majority, a single hit could cause tremendous damage. Parang and Oceanos felt it clearly. If the only thing swarming the Slayers had been the army of monsters, the Slayers would have won. Although a few might have needed to use the escape device. But, that thing. ¡°Pause for a moment. This angle seems to show it best.¡± Among the horde of monsters, there was something extremely out of place. Its size wasn¡¯t that large. In fact, it was quite small. A tiny monster, barely 2 meters in size. At first glance, it looked like a black mist. It slithered, had no definite shape, and was hard to outline. If it weren¡¯t for the vivid purple glow emanating from within, one wouldn¡¯t even know it was a living creature. And this black mist, despite being less than 2 meters in size, had a significant impact on the battlefield. First, it launched a mental attack. ¡°Siwoo. I feel something strange.¡± ¡°¡­You too? I¡¯ve been feeling it since earlier.¡± All the Slayers complained of symptoms as if they were under a mental attack. They all felt a strong urge to protect the black mist, which was clearly their enemy, indicating that a very powerful mental attack was continuously penetrating their mental defenses. Anyway, wanting to protect the enemy they had to fight made it extremely uncomfortable to engage in battle. This significantly reduced the Slayers¡¯ combat effectiveness. Secondly, there was the enhancement of the monsters¡¯ abilities. The incident began with Olivia¡¯s attack. ¡°Damn it, this is really annoying!!!¡± The mental attack was so bothersome that Olivia Cloverfield mustered her strong will and unleashed a barrage of skills at the black mist. Even amidst the ongoing mental attack, most of her skills missed, but one. The ¡®Stone Spear¡¯ pierced the black mist accurately. Whether it was startled by the sudden hit or in pain, the black mist shrank momentarily before slowly returning to its original size. And at that moment, ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö-!!! ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D!!! ?????-!!! The cloud-like swarm of monsters before them began to move at twice the speed as before. ¡°Damn it!! What¡¯s happening all of a sudden!!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!! Why are they suddenly¡­!!¡± The sudden change created gaps in the Slayers¡¯ solid defense, ¡°Eek!!!¡± ¡°Alexandra!! Are you okay?!¡± resulting in Alexandra, the weakest in combat, getting hit. And that wasn¡¯t all. The monsters¡¯ actions became more ¡®intelligent.¡¯ Where they had previously charged blindly, now they seemed to be using their numbers very wisely. Their attack pattern went roughly like this: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö!!! Powerful monsters like the Ghost Ship, Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. or slightly larger statues would rush in, launching near-suicidal attacks without regard for their own safety. ¡°Ugh¡­!!¡± The targeted Slayer would block it with a powerful skill, becoming temporarily incapacitated due to the demerit. ¡°Charlotte! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­, just a bit tired. I¡¯ll be better soon.¡± Then the remaining Slayers would form a defensive formation to protect her. But even in a defensive formation, they could only surround and protect her to a certain extent due to their limited numbers. In the meantime, tens of thousands of monsters would persistently target the protected member. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Of course, statues and powerful monsters would also charge in. As if it was beneficial to bite once and die, they would recklessly attack without regard for their own lives. ¡°Damn¡­!! Supreme Cutting Sword Ninth Move!! Cutting Off the Moon!!¡± Then, to fend off the swarming monsters, another powerful skill would be used, creating another gap in their ranks. This repeated until Han Siwoo stepped in to sweep away the monsters, Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Whoosh!!! And without any delay, another powerful attack would come flying in at a sharp angle. Thirty minutes before Alexandra¡¯s death. The battle was turning extremely unfavorable for the Slayers. And it seemed Alexandra had made some sort of decision amidst the chaos. ¡°Siwoo!! I¡¯m going to escape!!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Given how the battle was progressing, Alexandra would undoubtedly become a hindrance, so she decided to escape first. With a determined expression, Alexandra used the escape device. In an instant, her vision was covered in light. This meant the escape device was functioning properly. As her vision blurred, she looked at Siwoo one last time and said, ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Yeah. Me too.¡± And Alexandra attempted to move to the Slayers¡¯ hideout located somewhere on Earth. However, Thud-!! ¡°Ugh¡­!!¡± A heavy sound, like something falling or something exploding underwater, filled the battlefield. ¡°Si, Siwoo!!¡± Such a sound had never been heard before, indicating that some variable had arisen on the battlefield. Alexandra momentarily wore a very anxious expression but soon relaxed and seemed to steel her resolve. She probably trusted Siwoo to handle the situation. She likely intended to move to the hideout above the water and find a way to help Siwoo. However, when Alexandra saw where she had been transported, her expression stiffened. ¡°Wh-where¡­ where is this¡­?¡± And for good reason, as she had been transported to the East Sea Hive. Not knowing about the Hive, Alexandra was understandably shocked to find herself in the deep sea again after escaping from an underwater battle. But what truly shocked her was something else. ¡°My, my body¡­!!¡± Her body had stiffened, unable to move an inch. Below her neck, she had no sensation and was as rigid as stone. ¡°What is this¡­ what¡¯s happening¡­.¡± Parang was also a bit surprised. ¡®How can the body of a god be paralyzed like that?¡¯ ¡°Status window!¡± Alexandra urgently called up her status window. Oceanos, sharing her vision, could see it as well. And surprisingly, [Status Abnormality] [None] There were no status abnormalities affecting her. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Ah! Damn, you scared me!¡± There was a brief commotion because Elvira suddenly shouted. It was that shocking. How could such a thing be possible without any status abnormalities? Moreover, the surprises didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Ah, ahhh!!!¡± Suddenly, a purple glow appeared in Alexandra¡¯s eyes, and she screamed. ¡°What, what is this!! Who are you!!¡± Alexandra¡¯s words. ¡°Who¡­ who are you. What does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand this part either.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By then, Alexandra had stopped screaming. And surprisingly¡­ she looked at ease. She nodded her head, raised her eyebrows in question, and suddenly looked startled. The purple glow in her eyes remained, and her body still couldn¡¯t move. About 20 minutes later, the purple glow in Alexandra¡¯s eyes disappeared. She looked noticeably exhausted and gaunt compared to when she first arrived at the East Sea Hive. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± The hopeful thing was that her body could move. However, it seemed Alexandra was too drained to think about swimming. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­.¡± Instead, she chose another method. Wooooong- The artifact she possessed, the Evidence. A device that could store and share her memories with others. When Alexandra brought it to her forehead, a soft green light emanated from it. ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s storing her memories in the artifact.¡± It was exactly as described in the original novel. The surprising part was that the artifact, ¡®Evidence,¡¯ began to crack and break. Such a situation had never been depicted before, leaving Parang puzzled. Eventually, the green light faded. The memory storage was complete. The ¡®Evidence¡¯ now looked exactly as it did when Parang found it. Using her last bit of strength, Alexandra threw it towards the distant entrance. By then, the giant arms that had been in the corner of her vision had reached right in front of her. What awaited her was undoubtedly death. But Alexandra, as if dreaming, closed her eyes. Peacefully, as if going to sleep. ¡°I love you.¡± With Alexandra¡¯s final words, the dive ended. Chapter 45: Give the Abyss a Blow (1) Chapter 45: Give the Abyss a Blow (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 45 ¡°¡­.¡± After the dive ended, the six members of Oceanos opened their eyes. They looked at each other with different expressions, but there was one emotion they all shared. It was confusion. They were deeply confused at the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll inform Silo first. We need to tell them that the ¡®Evidence¡¯ contains memories.¡± Parang broke the silence. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Someone from Silo already came and did a dive.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Suddenly, it struck her. They were fast. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Well, regarding the ¡®Evidence,¡¯ Silo would have to handle it first for Parang to do anything, so that part was set aside for now. Now was the time to focus on Alexandra¡¯s memories. ¡°Let¡¯s watch this a few more times.¡± So, Alexandra¡¯s memories were replayed about three more times, and an emergency meeting of Oceanos began. ¡°Hmm. Finally.¡± To hold the meeting, Diego also needed to speak, so they came out of the water. None of them were sinking into despair or feeling depressed. Even though they had witnessed the death of someone who had saved the world and become a god. There were about three reasons for this. Ah, three reasons. I saw them again. Anyway, first. All members of Oceanos had incredibly strong mental fortitude. Even though their skills protected them from mental attacks, they had to see those hideous monsters every day. Moreover, the atmosphere of the deep sea itself was very heavy and gloomy. To endure such a place, their mental strength had to be exceptionally strong. Of course, just as Parang had briefly collapsed after the broadcast accident, their resistance to stress from ordinary human relationships or social life was at an average level. The point is that seeing the army of monsters, bizarre pits, or even Alexandra¡¯s death didn¡¯t significantly break their mental fortitude. Secondly, Alexandra¡¯s death was¡­ surprisingly peaceful. While it¡¯s undeniable that she died, there¡¯s a vast difference between witnessing someone die in excruciating agony and seeing someone accept death as if falling asleep peacefully. Whether there was truly no fear within her would be revealed by examining the memories Alexandra stored in the ¡®Evidence,¡¯ but for now, that¡¯s the assumption. Thirdly, they recognized the gravity of the situation and what they needed to do. They had all clearly seen with their own eyes that the Slayers had died in the sea. Now, Oceanos had to accept that they were the only ones left who could protect the world. Despair and depression aside, they had to save the world first. For these reasons, they managed to remain calm. And this is specific to Parang, but she felt somewhat relieved. At least Alexandra didn¡¯t die horribly. Even though she had lost interest after reincarnation, the characters she once loved and who were now undeniably heroes of Earth didn¡¯t die in agony. The fact that they didn¡¯t die writhing in screams brought her some comfort. They moved to the meeting room set up in Parang¡¯s house. It wasn¡¯t a dedicated meeting room, just a room with an enormous sofa and a large aquarium. Given that she had to frequently accommodate seven people¡ªnow six¡ªsuch rooms were quite common. Anyway, Oceanos, seated. The sofa was so enormous that everyone could sit comfortably. ¡°First, let¡¯s each point out the suspicious parts. There are more than a few strange things.¡± Indeed, Alexandra¡¯s memories were distinctly odd. Especially to Parang, who had read the original novel, they seemed even more so. ¡°Wait, where did the ¡®World¡¯ go?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Russell, how can you not know something Parang knows? Pay more attention to the world around you.¡± The ¡®World¡¯ is a dual-handed longsword that glows white. It was personally crafted by Hunter Han Siwoo early in the original story. Well, it¡¯s a hunter story, so it¡¯s a weapon enhanced by grinding down all sorts of monsters, including the final boss of the original work. A sword that literally contains the world. Han Siwoo always carried this sword during battles, but it was absent in Alexandra¡¯s memories of him. Honestly, if the ¡®World¡¯ had been there, the Slayers wouldn¡¯t have been driven into such a corner. They might have even won. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just lost in the sea? You know, when they ascended. Everything fell off.¡± ¡°No. Alexandra had the ¡®Evidence.¡¯ Olivia had the ¡®Departure.¡¯¡± That¡¯s true. For some reason, all the artifacts that the Slayers had presumably dropped into the sea had returned to their hands. Artifacts like Yumeko¡¯s ¡®Superhuman¡¯ and Marie¡¯s ¡®Amazement.¡¯ All the main weapons or symbolic artifacts of the Slayers¡¯ heroines were naturally handled by them. Except for one, Han Siwoo¡¯s ¡®World.¡¯ ¡°Then we should start from there. Instead of questioning why the ¡®World¡¯ is missing, let¡¯s discuss why the others are present.¡± Xiao pointed out accurately. ¡°I think so too. But, hmm¡­.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± Honestly, how could they know? According to what Silo told Parang, the point where the Slayers dropped their artifacts was about 8,000 kilometers from Hawaii. That¡¯s one-fifth of the Earth¡¯s circumference. It¡¯s a distance that even Parang would find hard to swim, artifacts or not. ¡°Did they use a retrieval function?¡± ¡°Speak sensibly. They didn¡¯t even know they were on Earth until they caught that bizarre pit.¡± That¡¯s true. The Slayers, who didn¡¯t even know they were fighting on Earth, wouldn¡¯t have attempted retrieval. Even if they had, it¡¯s unlikely that an artifact 8,000 km away would have quickly returned to its owner. The incident remained a mystery. ¡°We can make more inferences after a few more dives. For now, let¡¯s focus on the information we can gather from this dive.¡± That was a valid point. It was a time for selection and concentration. ¡°I have something to say.¡± The first thing they chose to focus on was Vertea. ¡°You know, when that black thing got pierced and the monsters sped up. Didn¡¯t you guys think anything of it?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°I definitely noticed it.¡± Those were Russell and Diego, respectively. ¡°I haven¡¯t observed other monsters in detail, but the Ghost Ship was definitely strange. Its movements seemed like it had been sluggish and then returned to its original speed. It wasn¡¯t faster than usual.¡± As Diego shared his observations, Vertea added more details. ¡°Right. After the black something was hit, the Ghost Ship started moving at its ¡®original speed.¡¯¡± That certainly had significant implications. There¡¯s a world of difference between moving at normal speed and moving slowly and then returning to normal speed. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯ve followed the Ghost Ship several times. It was moving slowly and then returned to its original speed.¡± ¡°So, the monsters that were moving slower than usual started moving at their original speed as soon as the black mist was hit¡­.¡± This made the situation ambiguous again. If the monsters had ¡®sped up¡¯ after the black mist was hit, one could speculate that the black mist had hidden power that was released upon being hit, or that it was an important entity that enraged the monsters. But the monsters that were moving slower than usual started moving at their original speed as soon as the black mist was hit? Parang fell into thought for a moment. This¡­ doesn¡¯t it feel like¡­? ¡°The black something¡­ was making the monsters move slower¡­?¡± If that were the case, it would make perfect sense. The monsters, slowed down by the black mist, went berserk as soon as the black mist was hit and the restriction was lifted. It all fits together perfectly. Except for one part. ¡°Why?¡± Indeed. Why? Why was that black mist monster slowing down the movements of the other monsters? If it was trying to help the Slayers, that wouldn¡¯t make sense. The black mist clearly showed signs of attacking the Slayers and even launched attacks, shooting strange purple thorns. The accuracy was abysmal, but that was because the Slayers dodged well. Anyway. It seemed like the black mist was leading the entire army. Its majestic presence in the center of the swarming monsters, emitting a sinister glow, was like an advertisement saying, ¡®I am the final boss.¡¯ Various opinions were exchanged, but no definitive answer emerged. Ultimately, due to a lack of information, they had to skip this topic for now. Next, they discussed the identity of the pit and Alexandra¡¯s final moments. But this too suffered from a lack of information. Even after watching the battle with the pit for almost an hour and a half, and even seeing its death scene, they couldn¡¯t identify what it was. Not only the pit itself but even the nature of its attacks remained a mystery. Despite Oceanos members spending their entire lives exploring the sea, they couldn¡¯t find anything similar to that creature. All they could do was sketch a rough idea of what the underground part might look like based on fragmented information. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to go there directly.¡± Thus, they agreed on an expedition to Hawaii. All members of Oceanos would head to Hawaii as soon as possible to investigate the area. How could such a monster be buried under Hawaii without them knowing? Russell got a thorough scolding. ¡°Ouch!! Ouch!!¡± ¡°You had something like that right under your house, and you didn¡¯t even notice, you idiot!!!¡± Next was Alexandra¡¯s death. ¡°What was that all about? Was she possessed or something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It felt more like¡­ telepathy.¡± ¡°Yeah. Definitely. It felt more like she was listening to a story rather than being possessed.¡± ¡°In the deep sea, unable to move, with a monster beside her. What kind of story did she hear to pass away so peacefully?¡± ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d probably be more at peace in that situation. I¡¯d accept it calmly.¡± That was Xiao¡¯s comment. As a side note, Xiao always maintained a very detached attitude towards death. It seemed like she would just say, ¡®Oh, I died,¡¯ if she died in battle. Well, considering she could control skeletons and see the memories of the deceased, it made sense. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ also a valid point.¡± ¡°Well, this is something we can figure out by examining the memories stored in the ¡®Evidence.¡¯ Let¡¯s think about it later.¡± Next, it was Parang¡¯s turn to speak. Information that only she, among Oceanos, could know. ¡°Did you see Alexandra¡¯s personal skill?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± When Alexandra checked her status window to confirm her condition, everyone could see her personal skill. [For the Mother Earth] [Hated by those not on the ground.] [Greatly loved by the earth.] While personal skill descriptions are generally vague, this one was particularly cryptic. Both the restriction and the effect sections were incomprehensible. Parang¡¯s personal skill was very straightforward and intuitive by comparison. Anyway, the personal skill written in Alexandra¡¯s status window was definitely that. However, for Parang, this made no sense. The personal skill of Alexandra in the original story was completely different. [Blessing Seed] [Extremely vulnerable to all curses.] [Possesses the skill, ¡®Ritual for the Earth.¡¯ Becomes significantly stronger on the blessed ground.] That was the description in the original story. ¡°But how do you know that?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I heard it from Silo, yeah. I heard it from Silo.¡± Anyway. The unprecedented event of a personal skill being replaced had never been reported before. Elvira shared her opinion on this matter. ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s related to the Ascension Ritual.¡± ¡°Ascension?¡± ¡°Well, think about it. It¡¯s hard to believe that something in the deep sea could tamper with the status window. And it doesn¡¯t seem like it was influenced by that thing; it feels more like the skill evolved.¡± That was certainly true. It was unlikely that a personal skill influenced by something in the deep sea would have content like [Loved by the Earth]. ¡°And the only event that could be considered a ¡®evolution¡¯ that the Slayers commonly experienced was the Ascension Ritual.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°We should ask Silo about this. They might know something since they led the Ascension Ritual.¡± Thus, the meeting regarding the ¡®dive¡¯ concluded. They had strangely gained a lot, yet also nothing. It felt like each issue was missing just one piece of the puzzle. There were so many moments of ¡®If only we knew this, it would all make sense!¡¯ And that was enough to ignite Parang¡¯s determination. In the next dive, she was determined to uncover the truth of this incident. ¡°Alright, then¡­.¡± After a short break, the second meeting of Oceanos began. ¡°What should we do next?¡± It was time to plan their next steps. Chapter 46: Give the Abyss a Blow (2) Chapter 46: Give the Abyss a Blow (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 46 Planning is essential when it comes to getting things done. The more important the ¡®task¡¯ is, the more crucial the planning becomes. And while there may be slight variations depending on the individual, saving the world can be considered a pretty important task. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Here, six men and women, who have no choice but to save the world, sat in a circle. It was fortunate that all six of them were determined to save the world. Anyway, they were making plans. The plans they needed to make could be broadly divided into two categories. First. Tasks they had already intended to do. This only required setting a definite schedule. This included things like the statue subjugation and Parang¡¯s visit to the Hunter Association. Second. Tasks that needed new planning from now on. This included the next hive exploration, dives, and the investigation in Hawaii. They decided to start with the simpler tasks that only required scheduling. First up was the issue of the statue subjugation. ¡°So, when are we going?¡± Elvira asked nonchalantly. Parang felt a bit peculiar. The first mention of this statue subjugation was during Oceanos¡¯s sperm whale hunt that day. Surprisingly, it had been less than two weeks since that day. The density of Parang¡¯s recent days made it feel like a distant past. And since the statue subjugation was something that would be particularly strenuous for Parang (though she had nothing to lose) and felt like a chore for the other members of Oceanos, the decision was quick. ¡°How about the day after my interview? Next Tuesday.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Decision made. Next Tuesday. They were quick with these sorts of things, which was nice. Next, they discussed the next hive exploration. A rather intriguing suggestion came up. ¡°Why don¡¯t all six of us explore simultaneously? Six at a time.¡± Everyone was astonished by the suggestion. Why hadn¡¯t they thought of this before? Somehow, only Parang had been focused on finding the Slayers¡¯ remains, but in retrospect, all of them could handle hive exploration easily. If six of them searched, the search speed would be six times faster! And the numbers matched perfectly. Including Han Siwoo, there were sixteen Slayers. There were sixteen locations to search, including Hawaii. Excluding the Hong Kong Hive and the East Sea Hive, there were fourteen. Excluding Hawaii, where Han Siwoo was located, and the Mariana Hive, which even Oceanos was hesitant to explore, there were twelve. The numbers fit perfectly. Why were they hesitant about the Mariana Hive? Simply put, it was incredibly vast and incredibly deep. How vast and deep? Russell had spent a week exploring the Mariana Hive and still hadn¡¯t reached the bottom. ¡°How deep did you go that time?¡± ¡°About 20 kilometers?¡± So, if they were to search the Mariana Hive, all six of them would have to go in together. It was nearly impossible to search it alone. For these reasons, four locations were excluded, leaving twelve. If six of them explored twice, it would be just right. As always, the discussion proceeded swiftly. Diego would explore the Caribbean Hive, Elvira the Arctic Ocean Hive, Vertea the North Sea Hive¡­. They agreed to explore the hives closest to their respective residences. Since the Hong Kong Hive had already been explored, Xiao would explore the Bay of Bengal Hive. Although it was far from her residence, the Bay of Bengal was still within the range of Xiao¡¯s skeletons¡¯ activities. The remaining issue was Parang. Since the East Sea and South China Sea hives had already been explored, there were no nearby hives left for Parang to explore. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t that there were no hives, but there were no hives where the Slayers were resting. Regardless, the outcome was the same. So, what was her choice? ¡°I¡¯ll go here.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too random?¡± ¡°We need to check this place anyway. Besides, even if we ignore other places, this one is essential.¡± It was the Drake Hive, located in the Drake Passage. The Drake Passage is the sea between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica. The distance from Parang¡¯s residence in Pohang was 17,000 kilometers. Almost half the circumference of the Earth. Even though warp stations were spread worldwide, the location was so remote. The nearest warp station was on the Falkland Islands. Even after warping, there would still be about 1,000 kilometers to travel. The reason Parang chose such a distant location as her next destination was because the Slayer resting there was a very important figure. ¡®The Iron Maniac,¡¯ Marian Lindberg. The Slayers¡¯ mechanic and a character officially recognized by the author as a lunatic. Her unpredictable personality and inconsistent actions. Her violent and crazy tendencies. But whenever she stood before Hunter Han Siwoo, she became as meek as a puppy, not knowing what to do. She met him end in the Drake Hive. And she was the last of the Slayers to fall, excluding Han Siwoo. Indeed. Marian Lindberg was the last escapee. Even if they didn¡¯t see anyone else¡¯s memories, they had to see hers. And unfortunately for Oceanos, Alice Melville was no longer around. There was no one to explore the Drake Passage, which is classified as part of the Southern Ocean. So, Parang decided to go. Moreover, the Drake Hive was known for its internal beauty, making it a good choice for broadcasting purposes. Thus, Oceanos finalized their schedule. After Parang¡¯s visit to the Association & World Government tomorrow, followed by the interview and apology broadcast the next day. The day after that, they would subjugate the statue, take a short break, and then all six would explore Hawaii. After another short break, they would each begin their hive explorations. Speaking of the apology broadcast. In both her past and present lives, apology videos from streamers and YouTubers were constantly uploaded. Parang often encountered them in her algorithm. A black background with white bold Gothic font saying ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Titles like ¡®I am deeply reflecting¡¯ or ¡®I will quit broadcasting (not really).¡¯ Channel names she had never seen before. It almost spread like a trend. And now Parang had to do it. If she was going to do it, she would do it properly. She needed a suit and a green chroma key. She was planning to ask Silo for help with that. As for compensation¡­ she already had something in mind. With that, the meeting ended. They had a few cans of beer, shared stories, and went to sleep. # The next day. Sunday, August 4th. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ahhh¡­¡± Yu Parang, early fish, woke up. The clock showed eight in the morning. Considering her usual wake-up time, this was really, really early for her. Rubbing her eyes groggily, she came out of her bedroom and glanced around the guest room, where Russell and Elvira were sprawled out, dead to the world. Were they struggling with jet lag? In reality, it was absurd to think so, given that the other three had already packed up neatly and gone home. Parang knew well that it was just because they were lazy and sluggish. Well, they¡¯d pack up and leave once they woke up. It wasn¡¯t their first time. Parang quickly had breakfast, packed three thick towels and a suit into a waterproof bag, and dove into the sea. She planned to swim around the Korean Peninsula to Seoul. If she left now, she would arrive at the Association with plenty of time to spare. The reason for swimming around the Korean Peninsula from Pohang to Seoul was simple. She enjoyed swimming, and the sea posed zero danger. So Parang swam steadily, passing through Busan, the southernmost village, and Shinan, entering the Yellow Sea, crossing the long-gone 38th parallel, and splashing into the Han River via Jeongdongjin. At 12:36 PM, Parang poked her head out from under the Hangang Railway Bridge. Not her whole head, just her eyes. The Han River was bustling with people on a Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, it seemed no one had noticed her. Under the Hangang Railway Bridge, she stealthily wiped off the water with a towel and put on a suit over her bodysuit. Adding sunglasses, a mask, and a hat completed her suspiciously non-suspicious perfect disguise. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Naturally, she had hidden her ¡®departure¡¯ in a place where no one could see it. A secretive spot that no one would ever guess. She had hidden it in her hair. ¡­Then she climbed up the ladder to the Hangang Railway Bridge and successfully landed in Hangang Park. After a short bus ride, she arrived in front of the Hunter Association at 1:20 PM. With her appointment set for 2 PM, Parang quickly entered a nearby udon shop and finished her meal in twenty minutes before heading to the Hunter Association. She remembered it was supposed to be the Branch Manager¡¯s office. Parang stared intently at the directory in front of the elevator, trying to find the Branch Manager¡¯s office. Branch Manager¡¯s office¡­ Branch Manager¡¯s office¡­ ¡®Where is it?¡¯ Why couldn¡¯t she see it? For such an important room, there should definitely be a sign. She thought about asking someone, but seeing everyone in suits, carrying documents, and looking serious made her lose the courage to speak up. Ah, a sad beast without water. Parang spent about five minutes anxiously staring at the directory. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Ah, yes?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been standing here for a while. Can I help you?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± ¡®Oh¡­ she¡¯s pretty.¡¯ Parang thought she had gotten used to meeting beautiful people like Vertea, Xiao, Elvira, and recently Hunter Shin Yuna, but the woman in front of her was a new type of beauty. Red eyes, long black hair, a kind yet ice-cold smile. And a figure that even a suit couldn¡¯t hide. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get to the Branch Manager¡¯s office. It¡¯s not on the directory.¡± This was the first meeting between B-rank Hunter Yu Parang and Hunter Association President Igarashi Natsuko. Chapter 47: SSS-Rank Underwater Hunter Chapter 47: SSS-Rank Underwater HunterDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 47 The current Hunter Association President, Igarashi Natsuko, arrived at the first-floor lobby using the executive elevator. As usual, she had just raided Seo Sunwoo¡¯s office, stolen some green tea, and planted a bug before leaving. Strangely, Seo Sunwoo always found and destroyed the cameras, reporting to Natsuko, ¡°Those Silo guys must have planted cameras again.¡± However, he never noticed the bugs, no matter how many she planted. So Natsuko gave up on the cameras and only planted bugs to monitor him. It wasn¡¯t that Seo Sunwoo was receiving special treatment. Most of the Hunter Association¡¯s executives were being bugged and monitored by Natsuko. Seo Sunwoo¡¯s case was just a bit more extreme. She would barge into his office without notice. It was her intuition and judgment that made her keep a close eye on him. Considering Seo Sunwoo¡¯s true identity, it made sense. Anyway. As Natsuko was about to walk out of the lobby after finishing today¡¯s ¡®business,¡¯ something very conspicuous caught her eye. A suit, hat, sunglasses, and even a mask. ¡­Was that a bodysuit underneath? Natsuko, who always pursued spontaneity and hedonism, immediately approached the bewildered Parang. Because she was curious. And it looked interesting. ¡®Suspicious.¡¯ That was Natsuko¡¯s first impression of Parang. And for good reason, as it was someone walking around the first floor of the Seoul branch of the Hunter Association in the middle of summer, wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a hat. Did she really think that was a disguise? Upon closer inspection, her hair wasn¡¯t just black; it had hints of blue and aqua. She seemed familiar, somehow. So, trying to remember who she was, Natsuko stared blankly at Parang for a few minutes. Coincidentally, Parang was also staring blankly at the directory by the elevator. Finding her suspicious and interesting for various reasons, Natsuko decided to speak to Parang. ¡®Oh, she¡¯s pretty.¡¯ Meanwhile, Parang didn¡¯t think much of Natsuko. After all, Parang didn¡¯t know that Natsuko was the Association President. ¡®A Hunter who doesn¡¯t know the face of the Association President?¡¯¡­ Well, yes. Igarashi Natsuko had only recently come into the public eye. She had ascended to the position of President without much fanfare. This was during the chaotic time of the Slayers¡¯ ascension, so it went largely unnoticed. Natsuko had somewhat intended it that way. The point is, Natsuko remained a veiled figure. And Parang rarely visited the Hunter Association except to sell materials. She didn¡¯t even know the face of the Pohang Branch Manager, let alone the distant Association President. It was natural for Parang not to recognize Natsuko. Moreover, Natsuko didn¡¯t have any bodyguards, so she looked like an ordinary employee. However, Parang did feel a slight unease. She was pretty, had a good figure, and her personality¡­ well, that was still unknown. But something felt off. Nevertheless, their encounter seemed uneventful. A slightly suspicious passerby and a seemingly ordinary but oddly unsettling employee. That was it. ¡°Are you looking for the General Branch Manager¡¯s office? It¡¯s in the East Wing, not this West Wing. It¡¯s quite hot outside, so you might want to go up to the third floor and use the sky bridge.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!!¡± Just then, the elevator arrived, and Parang jumped inside as the doors opened. Natsuko waved kindly until the doors closed. As the elevator ascended smoothly, Natsuko¡¯s smiling expression turned cold before it even reached the second floor. Her face became as cold as a steel plate, almost evoking the uncanny valley. Suddenly, three men in suits and sunglasses stood behind her. They stood silently behind Natsuko in a formal posture. Then, with a single word from Natsuko, ¡°Follow her and report everything to me.¡± They disappeared even more unnaturally than they had appeared. # Meanwhile, at the Hunter Association Asia General Branch, East Wing, 13th floor, Branch Manager¡¯s Office. Knock. Knock, knock. At the sound of knocking from beyond the door, Seo Sunwoo, who had been sipping green tea, opened his eyes. The clock showed 1:55 PM. When he opened the door, Parang, wearing a mask, hat, and sunglasses, walked in. ¡°¡­Did you really come all the way here like that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give you a mask when you leave.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Parang sighed. Why hadn¡¯t she thought of a mask? The Hunter Association provides masks for free to Hunters who wish to conceal their identities. They are plain, featureless red masks without even eye holes. Of course, they allow clear vision. Many Hunters wear them, and sometimes even celebrities use them at airports or while traveling. So a mask would have been better than that pathetic disguise. Such is the sad habit of a reincarnator. Anyway, Parang and Seo Sunwoo sat down. It was the same place where Natsuko and Seo Sunwoo had previously sat. As soon as Parang sat at the desk, Seo Sunwoo pulled out two stacks of papers. One was about the establishment of a test to determine the rank of underwater Hunters. The other was just a blank sheet of paper. Seo Sunwoo greeted Parang with a friendly smile, took out a pen, and wrote something on the paper. ¡°Nice to meet you, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± ¡®Wow, his hand is really fast.¡¯ How could someone write so quickly? Having to converse and write notes simultaneously required immense concentration. But as a hero destined to save the world, Yu Parang decided to give it her all for the noble mission. Still, she thought she might need some hydration. ¡°Ah, water will be fine for me.¡± Seo Sunwoo¡¯s expression briefly showed bewilderment. However, he soon called someone to bring the water. A burly, muscular man¡¯s eyes sparkled as he disappeared to fetch the 20 liters of water. Why? Anyway, the conversation between Yu Parang and Seo Sunwoo began. ¡°I¡¯m Seo Sunwoo. I¡¯m the Branch Manager of the Asia General Branch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yu Parang. Nice to meet you.¡± She could only write short sentences due to the concentration required. How was he managing this? ¡°Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been quite free lately, and thanks to you, I got to tour Seoul.¡± Gulp, gulp. ¡°The reason we invited Hunter Yu Parang today is because of these documents you see here.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ What is this?¡± ¡°As you can see, the ranks of underwater Hunters have been underestimated until now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ certainly true.¡± ¡°For instance, you, Hunter Yu Parang, are a B-rank. There are virtually no Hunters on land who can match your power.¡± ¡°That seems¡­ likely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re establishing this ranking test for underwater Hunters. We need your help, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°We need your assistance in setting the ranking criteria for underwater Hunters.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Parang nodded with a slightly uneasy expression. ¡°As you know, there is very little information about underwater Hunters. And some of them far exceed our usual classification standards.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s certainly true.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ve decided to introduce a new rank above S-rank for underwater Hunters on a trial basis.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Parang¡¯s confidence seemed to waver suddenly. Tests had shown that the space created by ¡®Departure¡¯ was too small to summon the Kraken. Of course, even without the Kraken, Parang was incredibly strong. She could easily overpower the current top 1-10 S-rank Hunters simultaneously. But fighting against the military force prepared by Silo without the Kraken was honestly challenging for her. Silo knew this too. They didn¡¯t know exactly what Parang¡¯s personal skill was, but they knew the difference between using it and not using it was enormous. ¡°What we want to ask you is to help set the criteria for S, SS, and SSS-rank Hunters. Since this is a new attempt for us, we decided to seek the help of an expert.¡± ¡°Uh, I understand. But¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be unfair if I set the criteria for the test I¡¯m going to take?¡± ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t leave everything to you. And¡­ whatever test we prepare, it¡¯s certain you¡¯ll pass as an SSS-rank.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Now that she thought about it, it made sense. Just as ¡®Departure,¡¯ originally used as a debuff skill, had its purpose completely transformed in Parang¡¯s hands, ¡®evidence,¡¯ which originally served the role of a USB, became the world¡¯s most powerful assassination weapon when used by Parang. A terrifying weapon that could shatter a target¡¯s mind just by being brought close to their body. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it now. Today, we just wanted to ask for your cooperation. So, will you help us?¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± ¡°It was nice meeting you today. How about a cup of tea? It¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°Then just one cup, please.¡± Ah, it¡¯s my fault. Parang took a sip of her tea. ¡°¡­The tea is good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Seo Sunwoo handed a USB to Parang. She held it tightly in her hand. ¡°The tea is good.¡± ¡°Thank you. I knew you¡¯d like it.¡± A moment later, Parang left the Branch Manager¡¯s office. ¡°Phew¡­¡± She sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead. Her head hurt. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 48: I’m Coming to Meet You (1) Chapter 48: I¡¯m Coming to Meet You (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 48 Shuffle¡­ shuffle. Parang walked aimlessly after leaving the Hunter Association building. Her head still throbbed. She never imagined discussing the assassination of the Association President through written notes, especially while having a separate conversation. Of course, it was suspicious for a Branch Manager to suddenly summon a B-rank Hunter for a private meeting. In hindsight, it seemed like they deliberately left the bug in place. They had created a perfect alibi. Once the underwater Hunter-specific test was established, Parang and Seo Sunwoo¡¯s meeting would have a perfect justification and context. Parang fiddled with the USB in her hand. What could be inside that would justify killing someone? And then there was Natsuko. The current Association President, Igarashi Natsuko. To Parang, she was like Mark Wilmore. Meaning, she had no idea who she was. There was no memory of her, and in the original novel, her role was limited to just two sentences. First, she appeared as the secretary of the previous President, receiving the evaluation, ¡°This person does their job very well.¡± Second, she suddenly ascended to the position of President due to the ¡®worsening illness¡¯ of the previous President a month before the Slayers¡¯ ascension. ¡°The secretary, Igarashi Natsuko, took over the position of President.¡± That was the novel¡¯s description. After that, she didn¡¯t appear in a single sentence or word until the ending. Moreover, she hadn¡¯t shown any notable actions until now. Parang, of course, had no connection to the world at large. Yet Silo had brought her in and said, ¡°This person is dangerous if she learns about the sea, so let¡¯s kill her.¡± If the person who said that wasn¡¯t an executive of Silo Corporation, Parang would have left immediately, thinking, ¡®Oh, they¡¯re out of their mind.¡¯ Otherwise, she might have seriously considered hitting him hard on the head. It was only because Silo had consistently earned her trust that she decided to hear them out. Honestly, she still found it absurd. ¡­But then again, it¡¯s unlikely they were talking nonsense. Whatever. She¡¯d find out once she checked the USB. For now, she decided to bury it in the back of her mind. # So, what was Igarashi Natsuko, the person occupying Parang¡¯s thoughts, currently doing? ¡°I¡¯m Yu Parang. Nice to meet you.¡± She was eavesdropping on the conversation in the Branch Manager¡¯s office from inside a limousine. Trying not to miss a single word of the ongoing conversation. Checking for any hidden codes or written notes. Coincidentally or not, Seo Sunwoo had placed an electric teapot near the bug. Bubbling¡ªbubbling¡ª The sound of boiling water made it impossible to hear the pen scratching on paper. That¡¯s why Seo Sunwoo liked tea. ¡°The tea is good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± In the end, she couldn¡¯t find anything suspicious in the conversation. Recently, underwater Hunters had become a hot topic, and they were establishing a new ranking system for them. Since underwater Hunters were an unknown territory for the Association, they sought help from the top in that field. It was reasonable. A perfect alibi without a hint of doubt. So suspiciously flawless that it was suspicious. That¡¯s why Natsuko kept an eye on Seo Sunwoo. ¡°Phew¡­¡± She sighed and leaned back in her seat. Having recorded everything, she decided to listen to it again later. Yu Parang and¡­ underwater Hunters. She definitely felt the need to keep an eye on them. That¡¯s why she had them followed right after meeting Parang. They were skilled enough that Yu Parang wouldn¡¯t notice in her wildest dreams. By now, they should have gathered some useful information. With that in mind, Natsuko contacted them. ¡­¡­ ¡°We lost her.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± ¡°Well, she suddenly jumped into the Han River.¡± Natsuko ended the call and calmly picked up a wine bottle, pouring herself a glass. It tasted exceptionally sweet today. # Meanwhile, Yu Parang, the master of espionage who easily evaded even the Hunter Association¡¯s surveillance team. She wasn¡¯t thinking much at the moment. It was just hot, and she thought it would be much better to be in the water. So she jumped off the Han River bridge. Ah, refreshing. Although the water needed some purification, it was still refreshing. To soothe her overloaded brain, Parang turned off her thought circuits for a moment. Water, cool, clean, feels good. While submerged in the river, she thought of the freshwater monster fish. Not the monstrous ones, just regular monsters. The Han River was well-managed, so there were none, but in wild environments like the Amazon River, 20-meter-long pirarucu swam freely. Parang had encountered one once. It was back when there were only three Oceanos, Parang, Vertea, and Diego. They had grilled and eaten it together. It was really delicious. Then she snapped back to reality. She still had things to do. She needed to visit the World Government. Honestly, Parang had been pondering this issue up until the moment she left her house this morning. To go or not to go. This had been on her mind ever since she dived into Matilda M¨¹ller¡¯s memories in Hong Kong. After the hunt for Galecus, which was Parang¡¯s first broadcast, a government official had come by and handed her a piece of paper with just an address and time on it. She hadn¡¯t realized it then, but looking back now, they had sent a special strike team to assassinate her, failed, and then showed up the next morning with an invitation. Suddenly, she thought, ¡®These people are crazy.¡¯ Even now, just thinking about it gave her chills. Honestly, she could have been shot the moment she opened the door that day, or three S-rank Hunters could have ambushed her. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The only reason they didn¡¯t was probably due to Silo¡¯s influence. Anyway, they invited her. And Parang accepted it. ¡®What was I thinking¡­?¡¯ Parang rubbed her forehead. From her perspective, it was an unfair situation. She didn¡¯t know. And even if she had refused, she doubted the current situation would be much different. ¡®Should I just tell them to go to hell?¡¯ No matter how she looked at it, it seemed like an assassination attempt or, at the very least, she wouldn¡¯t be treated well if she went. At the very least, it was obvious she¡¯d face confinement or kidnapping. If she was sure she wouldn¡¯t be treated well, wouldn¡¯t it be a hundred times better not to go? But then again, it was also an incredibly tempting situation. Maybe she should go? Could it actually be an opportunity? From the World Government¡¯s perspective, it was just a matter of calling in a B-rank Hunter who was disrupting their plans and getting rid of her. However, the ¡®B-rank Hunter disrupting their plans¡¯ had experienced so much in such a short time, and the government was unaware of it, which was the catch. Parang had ¡®Departure,¡¯ Silo backing her, and a vague understanding of the World Government¡¯s objectives. Moreover, she knew what had happened to the Slayers and was piecing together the truth of their deaths like a puzzle. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could use this against the government, but she had the Kraken. And besides knowing that Silo had her back, the government likely knew none of these facts. Silo would never have let information about trump cards like ¡®Departure¡¯ leak to the government. Therefore, unintentionally, Parang currently had a certain information advantage over the government. If she could extract information from the government during this visit, it would be a worthwhile attempt. Kidnapping a government official would be a significant gain. After all, she had ¡®Departure.¡¯ The main risk was if Parang ended up killing a government official while resisting or escaping. Given her public identity as a B-rank Hunter and internet broadcaster, the World Government could use ¡®killing a public servant¡¯ to launch a media attack, which would be devastating. Her broadcast would plummet, and her daily life could become impossible. However, since the government would be the one attempting the kidnapping first, she thought she could exploit this angle. Upon consulting Silo a few days ago, the response was¡­ ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Legally and through the media, we can cover it.¡± As a former painter and current fisher, Parang found it hard to understand, but it seemed they could twist her image to ¡®self-defense during an escape from kidnapping¡¯ with the right media play and legal team. ¡°Moreover, the government won¡¯t want to engage in a media battle with us.¡± Parang accepted it as a concept similar to mutual assured destruction. Problem solved. Thus, she decided to accept the World Government¡¯s invitation. This decision was made before she left her house this morning. Parang had also received some emergency tools from Silo that might help. An EMP grenade and an emergency warp device. The device could transport her to a warp station within 20 km. Satellite maps showed a station 17 km away, very close to the sea. With some luck, she might extract the information without even using ¡®Departure.¡¯ The more cards she could keep hidden, the better. She vigorously swam through the Han River¡¯s currents towards the meeting place. Chapter 49: I’m Coming to Meet You (2) Chapter 49: I¡¯m Coming to Meet You (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 49 Bubbling¡ª Splash! Parang¡¯s head popped up above the water¡¯s surface. This should be the right place. She looked around. Mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains. Well, it¡¯s the Korean Peninsula. She must have come quite far down the river. Surrounded by dense mountains and a river flowing through them. The thick mist added to the atmosphere, making it quite a sight. But why on earth did they call her to a place like this? It was an obviously suspicious location, far from Parang¡¯s home. Did they really think she would come? ¡­She thought, if not for her recent experiences, she would have come here knowing nothing. ¡®Ah, a secret scout, something like that,¡¯ she would have thought. So blatantly suspicious that it didn¡¯t seem suspicious at all. The name value of the World Government also played a part. No matter how shady or unpleasant it felt, it was still the government. ¡®Surely the government wouldn¡¯t call me out here to assassinate me?¡¯ It was a clever exploitation of a perfectly normal thought process. However, such a clever move is useless if the opponent is fully aware of the trick. Just knowing that the government intended to kill her put Parang a step ahead in the game. If Silo hadn¡¯t contacted her first, who knows what might have happened. Anyway. Parang emerged from the water and looked around. Nothing seemed particularly suspicious. From now on, Parang planned to act in front of the World Government. She would become an innocent B-rank Hunter who knew nothing. A simple, ordinary citizen Hunter Yu Parang, excited to have a chance to connect with the World Government thanks to her big achievement. She repeated to herself internally, ¡®I am a nobody¡­ I am a nobody¡­¡¯ ¡°Everyone, she¡¯s really clumsy. If you trip her, she falls right over, and if you steal her food, she gets all gloomy.¡± Ugh, why did that suddenly come to mind? Parang, now genuinely feeling like a nobody, shook her head and changed into a suit. Hmm, nothing much around here, but the meeting place is¡­ ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!!!¡± A voice suddenly came from behind! Parang was so startled she nearly flipped over. Where did this person come from? Barely managing to suppress the activation of ¡®Departure,¡¯ Parang glared at the person in front of her. They wore a uniform that looked like an officer¡¯s, with the World Government insignia. Their face was completely covered by a white mask with no eye holes, making them unrecognizable. Long black hair, and the body shape suggested they were female¡­ Most notably, they had an overwhelming number of medals. On their shoulders, chest, and arms. It was clear they were someone of high rank. In any case, a government person. A bad person. A dangerous person. Parang heightened her alertness to the maximum while continuing her act as a nobody. ¡°Wh-who are you?!¡± ¡°Are you Hunter Yu Parang?¡± A monotonous voice, often heard at bank counters, without any inflection. It was slightly modulated, with a hint of mechanical sound, making it sound gender-neutral. Clearly, this person looked high-ranking and secretive. ¡°Are you Hunter Yu Parang?¡± The same monotonous tone as before. Lost in her thoughts, Parang forgot to respond. She needed to act as flustered as possible. If they found out what she knew, they would kill her immediately. That would ruin everything. And she was a bit miffed that they responded to her question with another question. So she deliberately gave a half-hearted answer. ¡°Oh, yes. Are you?¡± ¡°¡­Confirmed.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the mask hid their eyes, Parang could definitely sense it. This woman had just glanced at the river behind Parang. ¡°Follow me.¡± So they weren¡¯t planning to ambush her here. That gave Parang a bit of leeway. ¡°Excuse me, but who are you? Are you really from the government?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Could you at least briefly tell me why you called me here today? I haven¡¯t been told anything. It¡¯s not something bad, is it?¡± ¡°No. Hunter Yu Parang. We just want to cooperate with you. This is off the record, but I also enjoy watching your broadcasts.¡± Ah, cooperation. Of course. You send a strike team to someone you want to cooperate with? Naturally, you¡¯d enjoy the broadcasts. You¡¯d be watching them closely to find any weaknesses. Parang snorted inwardly. In her mind, the mini Yu Parangs were fully prepared to take down the government with all their might. Under a barren field, countless mini Parangs were holding torches, farm tools, and cooking utensils, each determined. Still, there was one hopeful fact she gleaned from the recent exchange. The government still didn¡¯t know that Parang had caught on to their malicious intent. Parang¡¯s confidence increased by +1. Still, she disliked the government, so the woman in front of her was internally demoted to ¡®government wench.¡¯ But she had to do what she had to do. She responded earnestly. ¡°Wow, really! It¡¯s an honor!¡± ¡°The honor is mine to meet you. It¡¯s difficult to talk here, so could you follow me?¡± How urgent must it be for her to ask twice? Well, it made sense. With their limited information on Parang, it was much better for them to bring her to their home ground. Here, Parang could consider the possible scenarios. They could be broadly divided into three. I saw those numbers again. First, the World Government attempts to assassinate her. Second, the World Government tries to capture, kidnap, or neutralize her. Third, the World Government attempts to persuade her. The further down the list, the lower the probability and the greater the potential benefit for Parang. Having already planned for each scenario, Parang quietly trudged along. She followed the government wench with a bit of tension. They walked endlessly along the mountain path. Swimming six hours a day had given Parang stamina far beyond that of an average person. She remained vigilant for any potential snipers, using her peripheral vision, hearing, and intuition to stay alert without showing it. At the same time, she climbed the steep mountain path, which showed no signs of maintenance. After walking for a while, something man-made finally appeared before Parang¡¯s eyes. Barbed wire, thick outer walls, and despite being camouflaged in the mountains, the exterior was painted gray. It was the quintessential ¡®secret mountain base.¡¯ It looked like the kind of place where if you caught a passing bad guy and interrogated him, he¡¯d spill its location immediately. Since there were no gunshots on the way here, the possibility of ¡®assassination¡¯ among the three scenarios Parang considered slightly decreased. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± The government wench walked up to the barbed wire and fiddled with something. Peeking over her shoulder, Parang saw her open something that looked like a circuit breaker and press some buttons inside. Soon, a cold male voice came from the speaker inside. ¡°Blood, tears.¡± The government wench responded. ¡°Poison, water.¡± Beep¡ª Clunk. An alarm sounded once, and the door opened. It seemed to be a password. Parang cautiously stepped inside. The teleportation device in her suit pocket was ready at any moment. Of course, ¡®Departure¡¯ hidden in her hair was also prepared. ¡°There is still no technology that can block or distort warp.¡± This was confirmed by Silo. If it was impossible with Silo¡¯s technology, it would be impossible for anyone on Earth. There was no worry about her escape being blocked. The warp station Parang planned to use was already secured by Silo, so there was no risk of trouble upon arrival. She had brought two warp devices, one within easy reach and another hidden deep in her clothes. This was to minimize any situation where her safety might be compromised. She nervously headed inside the barbed wire gate. Earlier, the foliage and trees had obscured her view, but the interior was slightly different from what she had imagined. What she saw upon entering resembled a U.S. military base from a movie she had seen in her previous life. In one corner, muscular men and women were doing push-ups in rows, while on the other side, there were well-maintained, shiny military weapons. As someone who didn¡¯t know much about the military, Parang¡¯s impression was that the wheeled things were tanks, and the pointy things were¡­ missiles? Tents were set up here and there, casting shadows, and a few burly men and women were resting, fanning themselves. They paid no attention to Parang, suggesting they had been informed in advance. Parang carefully observed their eyes and expressions. ¡®They don¡¯t seem to be under any sort of spell or anything.¡¯ They were clearly robust soldiers. Parang pretended to be suitably impressed and continued to follow the government wench. Then they arrived in front of a bunker. This time, the government wench took out a card key from her pocket and held it to the keypad next to the door. She then leaned close and stared at the keypad. It seemed to be some sort of iris recognition or something similar. ¡°Turmeric powder.¡± ¡°Let there be light.¡± Another password. Then came the clunk, rumble, and whirring of the door opening, and Parang was able to enter the secretive and gloomy forest base of the World Government. Inside was a drab gray hallway with not a single person in sight. The path split and intersected at several points, with no signs to guide the way. Yet the government wench navigated without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Parang tried her best to memorize the path as she followed. They walked for quite a while. Finally, Parang and the government wench arrived at a thick-looking iron door. ¡°Please, go in.¡± As soon as the door opened, the corridor turned at a right angle, hiding the interior from view. Parang followed the government wench inside. What she thought was an L-shaped corridor turned out to be Z-shaped, ensuring that the interior could never be seen from the outside. Finally, Parang followed the government wench through the corridor and saw the room. The entirely gray room was filled with various machines that greeted Parang. There was a chair resembling a surgical table with multiple sharp arms, a bed with chains, and a brazier heating up in one corner. There was also a bathtub and a toilet. In each corner, there was a surveillance camera, making a total of four. The walls were lined with bizarre metal objects. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Only then did Parang understand the World Government¡¯s intentions. Why they had called her to this remote place, why they hadn¡¯t killed her immediately. What they wanted from her. It was obvious just by looking at this space. ¡®It¡¯s my first time in a torture room.¡¯ What would she have done if she hadn¡¯t brought ¡®Departure¡¯? Clang. She heard the sound of the iron door locking behind the corridor she had passed through. Chapter 50: I’m Coming to Meet You (3) Chapter 50: I¡¯m Coming to Meet You (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 50 Parang looked around the room with an innocent expression. The more information, the better. She had no intention of revealing her true colors and shouting, ¡°You wench!!¡± just yet. And, well, although the chances were extremely slim, it was possible they had brought her to this room simply because there was no other space to talk. Step¡ª step¡ª swish. As soon as Parang considered that possibility, the government wench walked over to the wall and picked up a large blade. Possibility, deleted. Bastard, confirmed. Yu Parang, pissed off. But for now, she continued her act. ¡°Um, what is all this?¡± Parang¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Though it was actually from anger, she masked it well as fear. Acting scared was something Parang was very good at. She just had to recall her early days as a novice deep-sea hunter. Her eyes began to tremble, and her voice became unstable. She acted so well that goosebumps appeared on her skin. The masked government wench stroked the blade as if checking its condition and spoke. ¡°Hunter Yu Parang, don¡¯t resent me too much. After all, this is all your karma.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean? I don¡¯t understand at all.¡± ¡°You seem slow to grasp reality.¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A-answer me!! You said you wanted to cooperate, so why bring me to a place like this?! Who are you really?!¡± ¡°Cooperate? Us? With trash like you? There¡¯s a limit to nonsense, Hunter Yu Parang. Did you really think you could cooperate with us after committing such acts?¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Parang tilted her head in confusion. ¡®Trash like you?¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like a fitting insult from a World Government official. It wasn¡¯t that it was strange because the government was bad and Parang was good, so calling her trash was odd. It was just that it felt unnatural for a World Government official to dislike Parang because she was ¡®trash.¡¯ Of course, it was true that Parang and the World Government were fiercely opposed to each other, but that was because their positions were strongly conflicting. Even if Parang had harmed the World Government, it was a natural act of opposition because they were enemies. It¡¯s like how no one curses an enemy soldier for shooting at them on the battlefield by calling them ¡°trash.¡± And it wasn¡¯t as if Parang had committed any crimes. Even if it was just a random insult, there were still many other contextually appropriate terms a government official could use to insult Parang. Terms like scum, rat, or thorn in the side. Using ¡®trash¡¯ seemed out of context no matter how she thought about it. This made the phrase ¡®such acts¡¯ feel off as well. Something felt unnatural. Parang decided to dig into this in the conversation. She immediately began her act. ¡°T-trash?! Committed such acts? What are you talking about! Let me go home!!¡± ¡°Even at this point, you¡¯re playing dumb?! You have no awareness of the evil deeds you¡¯ve committed.¡± This was definitely strange. What evil deeds? The only thing the World Government could have observed about Parang was her broadcast. If they called that evil, they were seriously mistaken. Moreover, the tone of that voice. It carried the nuance that they genuinely believed Parang to be a morally corrupt and wicked person. It even seemed to carry a hint of suppressed resentment. While Parang was racking her brain, the government wench picked up a bizarrely twisted metal skewer from the wall and began heating it in the brazier. She didn¡¯t seem to care whether Parang was restrained or not. Of course, she was probably someone who didn¡¯t need to worry about whether Parang was restrained or not. As long as they weren¡¯t in the water, she could likely overpower Parang at any time. Parang, aiming to gather more information, bombarded her with questions. ¡°What exactly did I do wrong?! I¡¯m just an ordinary hunter! Let me out of here!!¡± But unfortunately, the response she wanted didn¡¯t come. ¡°It¡¯s an order from above to torture and then execute you at their discretion. Hunter Yu Parang. I¡¯m sorry for lying to you, about everything.¡± Torture and then execution. That was an order that could only come from someone who bore a significant grudge against Parang. However, it didn¡¯t seem likely that a massive organization like the World Government would hold a grudge against her. Or did they really hold a grudge? Silo had mentioned that the current World Government was rough, slow, and generally incompetent. Could this be why they were doing this to Parang? Even the fact that they had placed Parang and this government wench alone in this space was odd. Wouldn¡¯t it be normal to have multiple people monitoring such an operation? Ah, if she kept acting a bit more, she might uncover something big. Acting was turning out to be more fun than she expected. Who knew she would find enjoyment in this? Parang acted even more desperately. ¡°W-who are you!! Why are you doing this to me!!!¡± At those words, the government wench hesitated. For a moment, Parang felt as if she could see the expression behind the mask, even though it was hidden. The woman placed her hand on her mask. Yes, take it off, take it off! Show me your real face! And then, thud. The government wench¡¯s mask fell from her face. ¡°¡­You can¡¯t say you don¡¯t recognize me now.¡± Parang was deeply bewildered upon seeing her face. ¡®Who is she?!¡¯ She was someone Parang had never met in her life. Who could she be? By then, the metal skewer had heated up, and the government wench took it out of the brazier. ¡°It¡¯s time to pay for your sins, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Hmm, so the conversation time was over. What a shame. There was still much information to extract. Was there no other way? Parang considered thoroughly searching the entire bunker since she was already here. However, she decided against it. On her way here, Parang had seen it. Numerous branching paths that made it look like a labyrinth, and surveillance cameras at every corner. Surely, the government was monitoring the situation from outside the bunker as well. She couldn¡¯t be sure if she could explore the entire bunker, and wandering around while being recorded by the cameras was out of the question. It would expose too much information. So, as Parang thought deeply, a lightning bolt struck her mind! A brilliant idea came to her. Once she had a plan, the sooner she executed it, the better. She took out two small blue spheres from her pocket and smashed them together with all her strength. Crackle!! Blue energy waves burst out, sweeping through the torture room. Silo¡¯s special EMP grenades. All electronic devices in the room¡ªexcluding the warp machine, which wasn¡¯t an electronic device¡ªwould have stopped working. The cameras were, of course, disabled. Now, the only one who could witness Parang¡¯s ¡®Departure¡¯ was the government wench. Whoosh!! The moment Parang showed unusual behavior, the government wench rushed at her with cold, fierce eyes. She held the heated metal skewer in her hand. Her speed was astonishing, almost inhuman. But Parang was faster. ¡®Departure.¡¯ Boom!!!! At that moment, the entire room filled with water. The government wench looked at Parang with an expression of disbelief. Due to the inertia from rushing forward, the metal skewer touched Parang¡¯s neck but didn¡¯t leave a scratch. ¡°!!!!¡± The government wench¡¯s eyes widened. She seemed to want to say something, but being underwater made it quite difficult. Parang guessed she was trying to say something like, ¡®How?!¡¯ But what could be done about something that had already happened? Parang checked the cameras again. They were completely disabled, crackling and showing no movement. Her body had been tingling since earlier, probably because of those cameras. Well, anyway. Since the cameras were out, people would realize something was wrong and rush over here. The fewer witnesses, the better, so Parang quickly took action. First, she tied the government wench to the torture bed so she couldn¡¯t move a finger. Originally, Parang would have been the one tied up, but the field had changed to water. The government wench tried to emit electricity, crackling and sparking, but Parang immediately neutralized her. An electric ability user, huh? Was she trying to create some sort of advantageous relationship? Despite suddenly being submerged in water, she didn¡¯t panic and immediately attempted to fight, indicating she was quite a veteran. Not that it mattered to Parang. She attached one of the warp devices she had brought to the government wench. She also dislocated a few joints to prevent resistance. Wrists and ankles should suffice. Then, beep, beep. Click. She pressed the buttons in sequence. Soon, the government wench emitted a bright white light and disappeared from the room. Parang immediately used her own warp device. Her vision brightened momentarily, and the surroundings changed. In front of her lay the government wench sprawled on the ground, surrounded by Silo¡¯s forces aiming their weapons at her. With that, Parang¡¯s infiltration of the World Government bunker came to an end. Parang¡¯s condition? No issues. Information exposure? The World Government personnel would find the torture room filled with water and realize Parang could generate water. But that was it. They wouldn¡¯t know if it was due to Departure, a skill, or some special technique. Outcome? Kidnapping a high-ranking government official. Summary. Great success. Parang left the warp station and headed to the hotel room Silo had prepared. There, she took a brief rest, reassured the worried Oceanos of her survival, and had a conversation with a Silo representative who visited. They discussed the peculiarities of the government wench, the detailed situation at the time, and finally the secret base. She recalled and reported the location, stationed troops, and personnel as much as she knew. About two hours later, Silo contacted her again. ¡°We¡¯re about to start the interrogation. Would you like to participate?¡± ¡°Of course. Where should I go?¡± She went down to the hotel basement, where she saw an interrogation room through a glass window in the wall. Inside, the government wench was sitting, restrained by advanced equipment. Parang received a few instructions. Do not kill, do not knock out, do not beat too severely, and so on. She was also handed a list of the government wench¡¯s skills, excluding her personal skills, and her personal information. Parang opened the door and went inside. She intended to listen to what the government wench had to say. Chapter 51: A Great Means of Conversation (1) Chapter 51: A Great Means of Conversation (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 51 EP.51 A Great Means of Conversation (1) Parang walked over and plopped down on a chair. Crossing her arms and legs with a sardonic smile, she completed her Yu Parang-style intimidation. The government wench in front of her maintained an expression that said, ¡®I won¡¯t say a word.¡¯ Her eyes looked at Parang as if she were a lifelong enemy. Without blinking, Parang opened the documents Silo had given her. The double-sided printed documents had the government wench¡¯s personal information on the front and her skills, excluding personal skills, on the back. Parang exaggeratedly opened the documents so the government wench could read the opposite side and began to read slowly. It was a gesture to show that she had the leisure, information, and control of the situation. As expected, the government wench¡¯s expression twisted slightly upon confirming the skill list printed on the opposite side of the personal information Parang was reading. Setting the mood. Parang began to read the documents intently. Hwang Dahye, 35 years old. Birthplace and current residence both in Korea. Under the East Asia Division of the World Government¡­ and so on. Parang skimmed through it. One of the flaws of the World Government folks. As a government organization managing the entire world, they had an excessive number of subordinate organizations and departments. Thus, their titles were excessively long. Parang picked out only the key points from the lengthy titles. Summary, In charge of the dirty work the government does in the Korean Peninsula. On paper, it said something like Chief of the Special Operations Division 3. Obvious. She was the one who tried to torture Parang. It was clear what kind of work the Special Operations Division, with her as the chief, would be involved in. Thinking about it made her feel unpleasant. Was torturing Parang in the mountains considered a ¡®special operation¡¯? Parang continued to read through the information. Both parents died in an accident 10 years ago, no siblings. Currently single. Had a fianc¨¦ who died in a murder case 5 years ago¡­ She skipped the home address and contact information as it didn¡¯t interest her. Next, the skill list. [Shockwave (S)], [Thunderbolt (S)], [Lone Struggle (S)], [Spark Pulse (A)]¡­ As expected, she was an electric-type ability user. The skill worth noting was Lone Struggle. A simple skill that significantly boosts stats when there are no allies nearby. Was that why she dragged Parang into the torture room alone? After finishing reading the skill information, Parang subtly observed Hwang Dahye¡¯s eyes. She noticed that the firm resolve of resistance in her expression had slightly diminished. It was probably because Hwang Dahye had seen her personal information on the back while Parang was reading the skill list. Parang placed the documents on the desk and crossed her arms again, tapping her foot. Judging by her eyes, she didn¡¯t seem to be under any sort of spell. Brainwashing, hypnosis, charm¡­ things like that. In the hunter industry, being under such conditions is referred to as being ¡®charmed.¡¯ And being charmed is like a disease, knowing what caused it is crucial. If you don¡¯t know what charmed you, the only solution is to completely destroy the mind to cleanse it. Usually, it¡¯s identified through behavior, but she didn¡¯t seem to be acting strangely. Her eyes also seemed normal. Next was her reaction to stimuli. Parang picked up a pencil and quickly sketched on a piece of paper prepared for notes. Parang, who was a painter in her past life and continued to draw as a hobby in this life, quickly produced a rough yet vivid drawing. She drew a creature called Crino, a mutated sea creature derived from a brittle star. She waved the drawing in front of Hwang Dahye. ¡°Do you feel anything?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t talk.¡± She still had her sanity. She wasn¡¯t charmed by Crino either. So, she did all that while in her right mind. This meant Parang had to dig deeper. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°Do you think I would?¡± ¡°You should. You tried to torture an innocent person.¡± ¡°Innocent? Ha¡­¡± Hwang Dahye, the government wench, laughed hollowly. As if she couldn¡¯t believe it. But Parang felt the same disbelief. ¡°Stop wasting time and talk. Why do you hold such a grudge against me, and what are your objectives? Everything. Tell me everything you know.¡± ¡°After looking through my personal information so eagerly, you still don¡¯t get it? Or are you pretending not to know?¡± Damn it, she really didn¡¯t know. A curse filled with resentment rose up to Parang¡¯s chest but went back down. She wanted to smash ¡®evidence¡¯ into this woman¡¯s head immediately. It was frustrating that the repairs weren¡¯t complete. Fortunately, the government wench didn¡¯t seem intent on inflicting eternal pain on Parang, as she finally began to speak. ¡°Are you going to keep deceiving me? Was the document you were looking at just for show? You murderous bitch.¡± And Parang¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. Murderer? Excuse me? Me? I¡¯m a murderer? ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, murderer?¡± ¡°Are you going to pretend until the end?! Fine, if that¡¯s how you want to play it, I¡¯ll hammer it into your brain one by one. The serial killer who appeared three years ago. Killed 15 people in two weeks and then disappeared. Missing ever since.¡± Parang felt dizzy. What the hell was this crazy woman talking about, no, ha. ¡°And then you shamelessly reappeared in the world, what?! Internet broadcasting?! Preventing diving?! You bitch!! Even the heavens are indifferent. Finally, I had the chance to catch and kill you with my own hands!!!!¡± The government wench, overwhelmed by her emotions, suddenly shouted. Parang struggled to hold onto her drifting consciousness and tried to make sense of the situation. So, this crazy woman in front of her believed Parang was the serial killer who appeared five years ago, and it seemed her fianc¨¦, who died three years ago, was a victim of that killer. It was pure nonsense. Parang knew about that serial killer. It was mentioned in the original work. It was true that the killer murdered 15 people in two weeks. However, the killer was caught red-handed by Hunter Han Siwoo and was immediately executed. In a world like this, could a serial killer even escape? There were eyes and ears everywhere. Parang had watched the news about the killer¡¯s trial. And the conclusion Parang could draw was only one. This crazy woman couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware that the killer who murdered her fianc¨¦ was caught in the act. There was only one remaining possibility. ¡®Her memory was manipulated.¡¯ sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was unlikely that something from the depths would implant such a detailed and human-like brainwashing as ¡®Yu Parang is the murderer from three years ago.¡¯ So, the perpetrator was highly likely, no, definitely human. Parang sighed deeply and stepped outside to take a break. As she stepped out, a man in a suit from Silo approached and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Her memory was manipulated. It wasn¡¯t done by a sea monster, but by a human.¡± ¡°Memory manipulation by a human¡­ Ah, if that¡¯s the case, I have a suspicion.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The head of the higher department above the Special Operations Division is a mental-type ability user. It seems most plausible that he brainwashed her.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Parang needed to know that information if it was a mental-type ability user. ¡°His name is Zhao Yang.¡± Zhao Yang. Zhao Yang¡­ It sounded familiar. ¡°By any chance, what is his personal skill?¡± ¡°From what we¡¯ve gathered, it¡¯s a skill called ¡®Covering the Sky with One Palm¡¯. We don¡¯t know the penalty yet, but it significantly boosts the effectiveness of brainwashing-type mental attacks.¡± ¡®Zhao Yang, Covering the Sky with One Palm!!¡¯ Finally, Parang remembered who Zhao Yang was. He was someone Parang already knew and who definitely shouldn¡¯t be in a high position within the World Government. Zhao Yang, known as ¡®Covering the Sky with One Palm,¡¯ was a cult leader from China who appeared in the original work. He was killed by Han Siwoo. In the story, just as Parang called Hwang Dahye the government wench, Zhao Yang was constantly referred to as the cult leader, making Parang forget his name. The scene where he brainwashed about 30,000 people in an auditorium was quite memorable. ¡°As Hunter Yu Parang said, he was a cult leader until two years ago. Then he suddenly disappeared and reappeared about a year ago, starting to work for the World Government.¡± Two years ago. This coincided with the time when Hunter Han Siwoo defeated Zhao in the original work. In the original story, Zhao was ultimately rendered a complete vegetable due to a reverse mental attack. But that didn¡¯t seem to be the case here. Having already confirmed that the original story had changed, Parang nodded silently. Fortunately, the original work clearly explained how to break Zhao¡¯s brainwashing. Regardless of the type, if a mental attack stronger than Zhao¡¯s brainwashing was applied, it would neatly cancel out and break the brainwashing. Usually, overlapping brainwashing would cause the brain to collapse completely, but Zhao¡¯s brainwashing was different. This was an extremely simple method for breaking brainwashing-type status effects. Parang shared this information about Zhao with Silo. The Silo researcher pondered for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°However, Zhao¡¯s brainwashing is extremely powerful. It¡¯s unlikely that he would have applied weak brainwashing to someone as high-ranking as the chief of the Special Operations Division. It would take us quite some time to break it.¡± That was certainly true. In the original work, only the members of the Slayers managed to break the brainwashing. By two years ago, the Slayers had already risen to the ranks of the world¡¯s strongest. So Parang made a decision. She decided to put Hwang Dahye in a submarine with glass windows and send her to the sea. ¡°Do not observe or monitor under any circumstances.¡± ¡°Ah, understood.¡± Blocking any witnesses from Silo. For Parang¡¯s sake and theirs. And then. ¡°Kraken.¡± At the edge of the glass window, a tentacle of the Kraken barely appeared. The government wench fainted immediately, and two hours later, she was fully freed from the brainwashing and able to converse with Parang. Chapter 52: A Great Means of Conversation (2) Chapter 52: A Great Means of Conversation (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 52 EP.52 A Great Means of Conversation (2) ¡°So, let me ask again. Do you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Once the brainwashing was lifted, the government wench¡ªno, there was no need to call her that anymore¡ªHwang Dahye regained her ability to think normally. It was clear she had been solely under Zhao¡¯s influence. Even though the brainwashing was undone, Parang worried whether someone from the government side would easily switch to Silo. ¡°That¡­ bastard!!!¡± As soon as she confirmed that the government had tampered with her memories of her fianc¨¦, she immediately expressed hatred towards the government. This was good news for Parang. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s talk again. First, why did you try to torture me?¡± ¡°It was, of course, an order from above. They said a B-rank Hunter would come your way, and I was to torture you to make you defect to the World Government side. If that didn¡¯t work, I was to kill you.¡± Next to them, Silo¡¯s special lie detector was running. Ding, truth. Parang asked the question she was most curious about. ¡°Why torture, specifically? There are countless ways to make someone defect. Zhao Yang himself could have intervened, right?¡± ¡°They said Hunter Yu Parang would never cooperate with general persuasion. They said your resolve to prevent diving was firm. And Zhao avoids stepping in if there¡¯s even a single risk. He extremely dislikes having anyone around who isn¡¯t on his side.¡± So far, the truth. The explanation about Zhao matched the description Parang knew from the original work. Wait, so they didn¡¯t even try persuasion and concluded, ¡®It won¡¯t work, so let¡¯s torture her¡¯? Are they insane? Torturing someone to break their spirit and make them defect might have a higher success rate than general persuasion¡­ but that¡¯s a plan you execute after trying general persuasion first. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was an order to execute me after the torture?¡± ¡°Specifically, it was to execute you if you still didn¡¯t cooperate after the torture.¡± This was the most absurd part. ¡°Why did they assign you to that task? Even going so far as to brainwash you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I can speculate. They probably thought my abilities were a good match against Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°Do you remember anything from when you were brainwashed?¡± ¡°Yes. Vividly. When Zhao first told me to torture a B-rank Hunter, I refused the order. I asked since when our Special Operations Division became a department for torture. I was prepared to face disciplinary action.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it that kind of division?¡± ¡°Of course not. Our main job is combat. Against Silo or the Association.¡± Well, that does fit the name Special Operations Division better. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t they assign the task to a department that specializes in torture or interrogation? Why give it to the Special Operations Division?¡± ¡°As far as I know, the World Government doesn¡¯t have such a department.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t??¡± ¡°No. Given that the task was assigned to us, it¡¯s almost certain.¡± This was truly unexpected. The lie detector still indicated she was telling the truth. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It was a policy set by the second president, Cloverfield. No torture.¡± Such a policy existed. This level of detail wasn¡¯t even mentioned in the original work. If such a policy existed, it made sense that there wouldn¡¯t be a torture department. A former president from the Slayers set a ¡®no torture¡¯ policy, so what justification could there be to say, ¡®We¡¯re going to start torturing again¡¯? ¡°So, what happened after you refused?¡± ¡°When I refused, Zhao showed me a video. It was a video of Hunter Yu Parang killing my fianc¨¦. As soon as I saw it, I began to hate you with no doubt in my mind. To the point where I really wanted to torture and kill you.¡± It seemed the brainwashing occurred at that point. The so-called video was likely a fabricated memory. In summary, the true story behind the World Government¡¯s attempt to torture Yu Parang is as follows. The World Government failed to kill Yu Parang. Feeling the need to do something about her, they decided to either make her defect or kill her. However, they thought general persuasion wouldn¡¯t work, so they switched to torture. This time, having no one to torture her, they brainwashed a high-ranking strong individual to do the job. That¡¯s the story. ¡®Are they idiots?¡¯ Do these bastards not understand the concept of testing the waters? If some middling crime organization or mafia had come up with such a plan, it would have made sense. One could even praise them for their cleverness. But the government? For a government that rules the world, this plan was too reckless, radical, and extreme. When the Slayers members held the highest decision-making power in the original work, it was an extremely competent organization. The superhuman administrative and political power the World Government displayed back then was truly impressive. A new organization emerged with the goal of uniting and ruling the world, and there were even factions that supported them, saying, ¡°As long as life is good, who cares?¡± Parang herself felt her life improve significantly as soon as the first World Government president, Kang Yuri, took office. But the current situation seemed like something out of a trance. Parang asked Hwang Dahye about this part. ¡°So, what was Zhao¡¯s behavior like when he brainwashed you? Did he seem irrational or show any unusual behavior?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. He wasn¡¯t like that before, but a few days ago, he started showing suspiciously emotional and hot-tempered behavior. He used to be very cold and meticulous.¡± Zhao Yang was depicted as an intelligent character in the original work. He skillfully brainwashed people and used them cleverly to continuously evade Han Siwoo¡¯s group¡¯s pursuit. For someone like him to show emotional and hot-tempered behavior was very unnatural. ¡°Were there any other suspicious behaviors? Things he didn¡¯t usually do?¡± ¡°Ah, he suddenly developed an attachment to ¡®the sea and water.¡¯ He never paid attention to aquariums before, but then one appeared in his office, and later, I noticed more and more sea or water-related paintings whenever I entered. Coupled with his emotional behavior, he really seemed like a madman. He even tried to build an aquarium in the building out of nowhere or splashed water in the hallway while shouting.¡± ¡°!!!¡± Exclamation mark! A high-ranking official in the World Government with a suspicious attachment to the sea. ¡°When did that start?¡± ¡°About¡­ a week ago.¡± Parang asked the Silo personnel who had been listening to the conversation from outside. ¡°Is there anyone in the World Government capable of brainwashing Zhao?¡± ¡°No. From what we¡¯ve gathered, there isn¡¯t.¡± Then it¡¯s certain. Zhao Yang was either charmed by something in the sea or influenced by someone else who was charmed by that something. Given that he remained rational but became emotional and attached to the sea, the latter seemed highly likely. If the current World Government president, Yoo Sungjun, were fine, such a situation wouldn¡¯t have occurred. So, it¡¯s certain that he is either the initial cause or at least a victim. This means the top echelon of the World Government isn¡¯t normal. Hwang Dahye and Zhao Yang could be seen as the severed ends of the tail. In other words, Parang just confirmed that the World Government was charmed by something. This explains their irrational behavior so far. ¡°¡­Alright. That¡¯s all I have to say.¡± ¡°Hunter Yu Parang, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Well, she was charmed too, and she initially resisted the orders. There was no need to be angrier at Hwang Dahye here. ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­I watch your broadcasts. That¡¯s genuine.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± As Parang opened the door and left the room, another person from Silo took her place. He seemed to be asking about the World Government¡¯s organizational structure, members, and their abilities. Well, that was something Silo could sort out and send to Parang later. As Parang left the room, she saw a familiar face. ¡°We meet again.¡± ¡°Oh, hello.¡± It was the man Parang had met in Hong Kong. The fact that he was a high-ranking person didn¡¯t seem to be a lie, as people around him bowed whenever they made eye contact with him. ¡°Judging by your expression, you seem satisfied with the information you obtained.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m quite satisfied.¡± A brief conversation ensued. ¡°¡­Yoo Sungjun, huh. It¡¯s been too long since I last saw that friend.¡± ¡°Do you know him personally?¡± ¡°Not personally, but we¡¯ve had many opportunities to meet in official capacities.¡± A Silo figure who frequently met with the president of the World Government in official settings. He was a much higher-ranking person than Parang had initially thought. ¡°Do you know anything about him?¡± ¡°I know a lot. But I don¡¯t have the kind of information that would interest Hunter Yu Parang. For instance, his personal skills, the list of skills he possesses, or his activities after the Slayers¡¯ ascension.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s certain is that if he were in his right mind, he wouldn¡¯t be doing such nonsensical things. The position of the World Government president isn¡¯t something you can seize by force. I¡¯ve considered the possibility that he might have been charmed by something, but with such decisive evidence, it feels a bit surreal even to me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Of course. Someone like the president of the World Government would naturally be more strategic than Parang. There was no way he would have executed such a foolish plan while sober. ¡°Yoo Sungjun¡¯s whereabouts have been unknown since the day after the Slayers¡¯ ascension. The world is probably still functioning because it takes time for the madness from the top to trickle down.¡± It seemed Parang had gathered all the information she could. The top echelon of the World Government had been charmed by something. The exact nature of that something was still unknown. And those charmed individuals were emotional, radical, and obsessed with the sea. This was valuable information. Parang decided to return home for now. When Parang arrived home, it was 11 PM. It was the end of a tumultuous August 4th. Being tossed around among organizations that control the world was exhausting. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But at least she had overcome a major hurdle. Tomorrow, she would start with an apology broadcast and then have an interview with a reporter. As Parang lay in the water tank, ready to drift off to sleep¡­ Thud. Something fell at Parang¡¯s feet. ¡®Ah, this.¡¯ It was the USB that Seo Sunwoo had handed over during their last meeting. He had given her this USB as evidence. Parang got up from her attempt to sleep and sat in front of the computer. She decided to check it out before going to bed. And a moment later. As she looked at the countless files displayed on the computer screen, Parang couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself. ¡°¡­Crazy woman¡­¡± Chapter 53: She Really Is Crazy Chapter 53: She Really Is CrazyDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 53 EP.53 She Really Is Crazy The USB that Seo Sunwoo had given contained about 15 files. One file was titled [Igarashi Natsuko_Status Window]. The rest were all related to various projects, with one video and one plan document. [Barbatos Project (Discarded)] [King of Necromancy Project (Discarded)] [Shuten-doji Project (Discarded)] [Milania Project (Discarded)] ¡­¡­ [Barbatos Project Confidential Meeting Video] Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Igarashi Natsuko Assassination Plan] The notable point was that all the projects had been discarded. As Parang skimmed through the file names, she noticed a common theme. Barbatos. Chapter 11 Boss. King of Necromancy. Chapter 8 Boss. Shuten-doji. Chapter 6 Boss. Milania. Chapter 5 Boss. They were all bosses from the original novel, . The discarded projects and the bosses from the original work. Feeling a sense of unease, Parang began to read the files seriously. First, the assassination plan for Natsuko. After reading it thoroughly, Parang nodded. Indeed, this method could protect Parang while assassinating Natsuko. The plan involved ambushing Natsuko at the Warp Station. Parang would warp in front of Natsuko, immediately use Departure, and other Silo members would buy a split second, allowing Parang to use the ¡®evidence.¡¯ Does it have to be Parang? Yes. The memory transferred by the ¡®evidence¡¯ must be from either the caster or the target. Below were detailed timelines of Natsuko¡¯s movements, along with sub-plans in case the Warp Station malfunctioned. Next, an image file labeled Natsuko¡¯s Status Window. When opened, it displayed Natsuko¡¯s status window interface. Since a status window visible only to the individual couldn¡¯t be captured by a camera, it seemed Seo Sunwoo had edited and reconstructed it. There was also a photo of Natsuko beside it. Parang flinched upon seeing it. ¡®This is the person I saw in front of the elevator.¡¯ Did that mean she had casually chatted with her assassination target in front of the elevator? Parang felt a chill run down her spine. [Status Window: Igarashi Natsuko] [Personal Skill: Bounty Hunter (A)] [All stats significantly decrease during combat.] [If the combat target has killed many humans, the stats increase proportionally.] [Skill List] [Predator (S), Blood Pulse (S), Telekinesis (S), Far Eastern Swordsmanship (S)¡­¡­] [Skill: Predator (S)] [Restriction: ???, Can absorb the target killed.] [Acquisition Condition: Presumed to be related to ¡®killing a comrade¡¯ or ¡®cannibalism.¡¯] [Blood Pulse (S)] [Pushes everything around forcefully. The more injuries the caster has, the stronger the effect.] [Acquisition Condition: Survive after losing more than 2.5 liters of blood within 30 minutes.] ¡­¡­ So, whether it was a skill or a stat, she could absorb the abilities of those she killed. And the more humans her opponent had killed, the higher her chances of winning. Cold sweat trickled down Parang¡¯s neck. No way, it couldn¡¯t be. It must not be. [File: Shuten-doji Project] Entity Name: Shuten-doji Species: Yokai Location: Osaka ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Required Kill Count: 34,103 PLAN 1: Gather citizens in the city under the guise of training and lure the target PLAN 2: ¡­¡­ Supervisor: Hunter Association Osaka Branch Manager Igarashi Natsuko Approval: Hunter Association Osaka Branch Manager Igarashi Natsuko Project Abandonment: Execution Impossible (Target Eliminated) [File: King of Necromancy Project] Entity Name: King of Necromancy Species: Demon Location: Yunnan Province ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Required Kill Count: Approximately 360,000 PLAN 1: Prevent Slayers, neutralize key institutions, and release the target in the city PLAN 2: ¡­¡­ Supervisor: Hunter Association Asia Regional Manager Igarashi Natsuko Approval: Hunter Association Asia Regional Manager Igarashi Natsuko Project Abandonment: Execution Impossible (Target Eliminated) [Barbatos Project] Entity Name: Barbatos Species: Demon Location: Pyongyang ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Required Kill Count: Over 10,000,000 PLAN 1: Lure Slayers to Sahara and cut off communication, then release the target in the city PLAN 2: ¡­¡­ Supervisor: Hunter Association Asia Regional Manager Igarashi Natsuko Approval: Hunter Association Asia Regional Manager Igarashi Natsuko Project Abandonment: Execution Impossible (Target Eliminated) ¡°¡­¡­Crazy woman¡­¡­.¡± Parang opened the last file, [Barbatos Project Confidential Meeting Video]. The video quality was very poor, as if taken from a distance with a small camera. The red eyes and long black hair barely allowed her to recognize Natsuko. However, the audio quality was excellent. They seemed to be sitting around a round table in a dark, narrow room, discussing something. It was like a scene from a noir film, where the bosses of an underworld organization held a meeting. Natsuko¡¯s clear voice rang out. ¡°¡®Barbatos Project¡¯ meeting. Let¡¯s begin, Rin.¡± ¡°Yes, Chairman.¡± The woman called Rin stood up and turned on the projector. The screen displayed files that seemed to be the ones Parang had seen. Natsuko began to explain calmly and composedly. ¡°As you all know, the reason the previous projects failed was because the Slayers eliminated the targets first. Therefore, our primary goal in this project is to exclude the Slayers. Barbatos alone, once released in the city, will suffice to meet the required kill count.¡± Natsuko was proposing to release a demon, a boss from the original work, into the city with a calm and even voice. ¡°The expected arrival of Barbatos is in about two months. To confuse the Slayers, we¡¯ll perform a ¡®ritual¡¯ to advance that date by about two weeks. The materials are already prepared, and if things go awry, we are ready to eliminate those who performed the ritual.¡± Parang shuddered. The ¡®ritual¡¯ she mentioned was something from the original work. It was something no human should ever do. Indeed, the original work had described that someone performed a ¡®ritual¡¯ which caused the arrival of Barbatos earlier than expected. They were clearly described as devil worshippers. ¡°Afterwards, we bury a nuclear bomb beneath the Sahara Desert and detonate it on the advanced arrival date to lure the Slayers. We¡¯ll send an emergency support request. Upon their arrival, we destroy the Warp Station immediately after they warp, trapping the Slayers.¡± Her plan was meticulous. ¡°At the same time, ¡®Barbatos¡¯ will descend in Seoul and wait until the required kill count is met. Once 800,000 people are killed, we commence operations, and any shortfall in numbers will be met by directly luring them into combat.¡± ¡°Crazy woman¡­¡± Only then did Parang fully understand. Igarashi Natsuko must be killed. There was no room for persuasion. If not immediately excluded, the world was truly in danger. ¡°Next, let¡¯s consider the following plan. First¡­¡± Thus, Parang watched the video to the end, her hands trembling. ¡°¡­That concludes our meeting.¡± Everyone left the room, and about an hour later, someone entered to retrieve the camera. It was Seo Sunwoo. With that, the video ended. Parang¡¯s uneasy predictions were not wrong. Igarashi Natsuko. As soon as she realized the existence of the bosses from the original work, she planned to feed them people and then absorb them herself to ensure her victory. Her plans had failed every time because the Slayers eliminated the targets first. But what if she found out what was in the deep sea? Especially without the Slayers around? It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she did something crazy on her own, and the moment she realized the World Government¡¯s goals, she could immediately collaborate with them. Although her large-scale projects had all failed, it didn¡¯t mean Natsuko had been neglecting her ¡®Predation.¡¯ While it was unclear how much stronger she became with a high kill count, it was true that she believed she could fight and win against a monster like Barbatos if she killed enough people. Chapter 11, where Barbatos appears, is the very final part of the original work. Chapter 12, the last part of the novel, is a boss rush chapter where the Four Heavenly Kings, a fake boss, and the final boss are defeated in succession. It could be considered the last chapter that progresses the story. The fact that she thought she could ¡®capture¡¯ such an entity shows her immense strength. The army that Silo mentioned dispatching was probably not an ordinary one either. It¡¯s understandable why they desperately needed Parang. A crazy woman who is also incredibly powerful. But why had Silo been holding onto this information and leaving Natsuko alone? Even just spreading this information would cause protests in front of Hunter Association branches worldwide. Why were they just sitting on it? Were they unsure what Natsuko might do if cornered? Were they afraid she might side with the World Government? Unable to hold back, Parang called the high-ranking person she met in Hong Kong. She was glad she had exchanged contact information earlier. Click. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Why are you leaving Natsuko alone?¡± ¡°Ah, I see you¡¯ve checked the information.¡± ¡°Just answer me. Why is someone like her still in the position of Association President?¡± There was a slight hint of anger in Parang¡¯s voice. It was true that they had been neglecting such a dangerous woman until now. ¡°We are fully aware of Natsuko¡¯s danger.¡± ¡°Then why on earth¡­!!¡± ¡°To be honest, Hunter Yu Parang, we didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t know?¡± Parang¡¯s mind went cold for a moment. ¡°Yes, we didn¡¯t know. Hunter Yu Parang, Natsuko has been extremely thorough in keeping her secrets. Seo Sunwoo defected to our side two weeks before the Ascension Ritual. Until then, we had no information about that aspect of the Hunter Association. We are not perfect either. And by the time we obtained this information, the Slayers were already¡­¡± Parang knew. If it was two weeks before the Ascension, the Slayers were deep into the boss rush. They were fighting for the fate of the Earth, so it would have been impossible to check Natsuko. Silo would have also been reluctant to confront Natsuko without the Slayers. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Hunter Yu Parang. From then until now, we have been divided in our opinions.¡± The Silo man continued. ¡°And recently, we have felt the urgent need to eliminate Natsuko. That¡¯s why we directly sought your help, Hunter Yu Parang. Originally, we began preparing a plan to subdue Natsuko immediately upon recognizing the Slayers¡¯ deaths. We aimed to exploit her weaknesses based on the information provided by Seo Sunwoo. However, there¡¯s no need to engage in a battle with numerous casualties when we have a sure and safe method like you, Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Although Parang didn¡¯t fully agree with the explanation, she understood that it was the best option for now. Unless Parang assassinated Natsuko one-on-one, there would inevitably be significant casualties when subduing her. And for Parang to assassinate Natsuko, the ¡®evidence¡¯ needed to be repaired. Hence, time was required. Still, not all her doubts were resolved. Other questions lingered in her mind. ¡°How could she be so secretive?¡± It was understandable that the Slayers, being few in number, hadn¡¯t detected her, but it was astonishing that she had hidden such projects even from Silo. ¡°The Association President is aware that she is insane and that her projects are madness. So, she only planned these projects with the highest-ranking executives who she believed were loyal to her and kept everything strictly confidential. All records were kept analog. When Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo defected, he digitized the analog materials and handed them over.¡± Indeed. If she had openly spread such crazy plans throughout the entire association, things would have exploded immediately. It was a secret meeting among the highest-ranking executives. ¡°Sigh¡­ I understand. For now, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Beep¡ª Parang rubbed her forehead and let out a deep sigh. She wanted nothing more than to throw Natsuko into the sea immediately. Protecting the world was hard and exhausting. Chapter 54: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (1) Chapter 54: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 54 EP.54 Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (1) Meanwhile, as Yu Parang was racking her brain, pondering how to save the world, there were those who needed her rescue more than anyone else. [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [0] [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [0] [Mods, do something about the spam!!!!] [0] [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [0] [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [0] [So when is Yu Parang coming?] [3] [Don¡¯t you guys remember getting status effects?] [3] [The Great Fish Hunter has started broadcasting!!!!] [5] Surprisingly, they were Yu Parang¡¯s viewers. [Don¡¯t you guys remember getting status effects?] [Author: If You Have Ears] Why the hell do you want to watch a broadcast that gives you status effects, damn it? Are you hunters or what? LOL ©¤I don¡¯t really know either, but I just really want to watch Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast ©¤There¡¯s no broadcast that gives a dopamine rush like hers ©¤People go crazy when they get hooked on something with no substitute As the author of the post said, Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast was unprecedented in making viewers experience status effects during the broadcast. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the platform suspended her for causing social controversy. Despite the fact that quite a few viewers must have suffered, the community was surprisingly filled with people eager to watch Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast again. [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [Author: ??] Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn¡­ There are three main reasons why the Hunter Gallery, not even Yu Parang¡¯s Gallery, has ended up like this. First, there is no substitute for Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast. [Even with all that chaos, I honestly want to watch Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast] [Kaiyukan] Honestly, it was a mess, and I think the host isn¡¯t broadcasting because of that, but I still want the host to come back. I wouldn¡¯t say anything if there were a substitute, but damn, you can¡¯t watch the host¡¯s broadcast anywhere else. Now, without Yu Parang, I can¡¯t get my dopamine fix¡­ ©¤You¡¯re a hunter who gets beaten¡­ ©¤Even the great doctor Yu Parang couldn¡¯t fix this guy¡¯s head ©¤Honestly, I want to watch it too¡­ It was really fun. Yu Parang¡¯s core viewers were already deeply hooked on her broadcast. No matter how much they talked about the dopamine her broadcast provided, it was never enough. The real problem was that there was no substitute for her broadcast. After the Slayers¡¯ Ascension, the diving broadcasts that had sprung up like mushrooms after rain were now almost impossible to find. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1,000 won! Thank you~! ¨C [Dammit, Shuna said she was doing a diving broadcast. Why is she broadcasting in front of the gate again today?] ¡°Listen, honestly, I said I¡¯d do a diving broadcast, but, you know, honestly, it¡¯s a bit much. I value my life too.¡± ©¤True ©¤It¡¯s better not to dive. ©¤Are you an assassin telling someone to dive now? ©¤Let¡¯s just block that guy What¡¯s the point of hiding it? Yu Parang launched a damn big ball. Hunters, especially streaming hunters, were increasingly interested in and watching Parang¡¯s broadcast. And as they watched her broadcast, they realized. ¡®Ah, if I mess up diving, I¡¯m really screwed.¡¯ It was dangerous, difficult, and even if they hurriedly started diving now, they couldn¡¯t make a bigger impact than Parang. They could end up being a perfect inferior version. If they made diving their main content now, the moment Yu Parang returned, she would instantly absorb their viewers. There were streaming hunters who boldly jumped into the diving market, How many meters are you going down today? ¡°Today? Today I¡¯ve really sharpened my skills. A whopping! 250 meters dive! Please look forward to it! Oh? Oh no! Don¡¯t leave!!¡± But they were clearly less impressive than Parang. The last broadcast that Parang¡¯s viewers could pin their hopes on was Verteia¡¯s broadcast, but since Verteia¡¯s broadcast mainly involved monster fights, it lacked the unique, oppressive, and gloomy deep-sea atmosphere that Parang¡¯s broadcast had. Anyway, for various reasons, viewers who desperately wanted Parang¡¯s broadcast emerged, [When will Yu Parang turn on the broadcast¡­] [9] [Just! Wait! A! Day!!!!] [3] [Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it! Yu Parang, turn on the broadcast, damn it!] [4] [Press this button to make Yu Parang start the broadcast.] [45] Given the nature of internet communities, the voices of a fervent minority overwhelmingly drowned out the moderate majority. The community was filled with opinions supporting Yu Parang. Of course, there were those who opposed or originally didn¡¯t like Parang. Posts criticizing or slandering her, and re-examining the incidents that occurred during her broadcasts, occasionally appeared. But in terms of firepower, the ¡®Turn on Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast¡¯ faction was overwhelmingly superior, rendering their resistance meaningless. So, people who didn¡¯t frequent the community and only occasionally lurked would see a community filled with posts supporting Parang. Human psychology being what it is, people tend to lean slightly towards the opinions that the majority supports, even without realizing it. ¡®Well, it was fun, after all.¡¯ ¡®Honestly, the host didn¡¯t really do anything wrong.¡¯ ¡®We just need to be careful next time.¡¯ One by one, people started thinking this way. Of course, even if you combined all the aforementioned viewers, it was less than half of the viewers before the ¡®shock¡¯ incident. Still, considering she had inflicted status effects on people during her broadcast, it was quite a good outcome. Thus, Yu Parang unknowingly succeeded in swaying community opinion. And then, amidst the long agony, on August 5th, at 10 AM, a post appeared on the Hunter Gallery. [Yu Parang turned on the broadcast] [0] It was written so hastily that the typo conveyed a sense of urgency, announcing her return. [LIVE ¨C (Yu Parang) I¡¯m sorry.] The first thing that caught the eyes of viewers, who rushed in at the speed of Velua swimming, was the shocking title. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±? What¡¯s with this thumbnail? Why is she wearing a suit? What¡¯s with the green background? Could it be that she¡¯s quitting the broadcast? Their hearts sank at the thought, and when they entered, they saw Parang, dressed in a suit, standing in front of a green chroma key screen, looking polite and staring ahead. They were surprised once by her appearance and again by the strangely dark screen. When they checked again, hoping it wasn¡¯t true, they realized they had seen correctly. It was the familiar color scheme they saw every day on Parang¡¯s broadcast. She was standing underwater. The strangely dark yet bluish hue clearly proved it. She stood in front of the camera, watching the rising viewer count. 5000, 10000, 20000, 30000¡­ And more, more, more. Finally, when the viewer count reached the number Parang had set in her mind, she opened her mouth. Her voice was as always, soft and gentle. ¡°Hello, viewers. This is streaming hunter Yu Parang.¡± Various chats started pouring in. ©¤You¡¯re not quitting the broadcast, right? ©¤Damn, I really thought you were dead Chats expressing concern and longing for Parang. ©¤Did you bring a chroma key underwater??? ©¤What¡¯s with the suit, lol Neutral chats. ©¤A broadcast that gives you status effects, what a joke ?? ©¤Just quit the broadcast, lol, it wasn¡¯t even that fun Sharp, hostile chats. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!!¡± Of course, such harsh chats were promptly deleted by the temporary manager, Shin Yuna. However, even if the viewers didn¡¯t know, Parang, with her superhuman eyesight, could read all those chats. While the clear malice directed at her hurt, the support from those cheering her on strengthened her resolve. Since the Brachium Shock incident. No, since she first started broadcasting, she had anticipated such situations. ¡°First, I would like to sincerely apologize to all the viewers who were affected by my careless actions. I am truly sorry.¡± Parang bowed deeply. ¡°On August 2, 2024, during a broadcast, due to my careless actions, viewers who were watching at the time experienced a status effect called ¡®Opening Eyes¡¯ for about three minutes.¡± Her expression was serious and resolute, a look rarely seen on her broadcasts. ¡°I take full responsibility for the confusion caused by my failure to exercise much more caution, considering the unique environment of my broadcast.¡± It¡¯s okay, just keep broadcasting ©¤So shameless, lol. And you turned on the camera again? Need money? (Message deleted by the administrator.) The occasional aggressive chats hurt Parang. She knew that public opinion couldn¡¯t be entirely positive given what had happened, but it still stung. Nevertheless, she stood firm and took responsibility. ¡°¡­I will not take a long break or quit broadcasting. This incident stemmed from my shortcomings. I believe that the best way to handle this is to ensure such accidents never happen again and to show my growth as a broadcaster from this point forward.¡± ©¤Lol, just words? Just quit broadcasting already? (Message deleted by the administrator.) Of course, Parang had no intention of just apologizing with words. The most important aspect Parang focused on in this incident was ensuring that such accidents never happened again. And Parang had found a way. ¡°I¡¯m not just saying I¡¯ll be careful. To prevent such incidents from recurring, I have introduced a new element to the broadcast.¡± Even the viewers who were mindlessly criticizing Parang had a puzzled expression at this. ¡°From now on, including the current broadcast, there will be a 15-second delay in my broadcasts. This means that there will be a 15-second time lag between what my camera captures and what appears on your screens.¡± Originally, Parang¡¯s broadcast had about a 1-second delay. She took inspiration from that. She decided to extend that delay to 15 seconds. This way, if Parang received any unusual mental attack, she could immediately end the broadcast or cut off the screen and sound. This would ensure that viewers watching the screen 15 seconds before the attack would not be affected. There was no worry since the skill notification window would immediately alert them of any mental attack. Parang was immune to mental attacks, so there was no chance she wouldn¡¯t be able to end the broadcast if something happened to her. In fact, during the Brachium Shock, it took Parang about 4 seconds to recognize the danger and end the broadcast. Moreover, unlike back then, she had prepared three triggers that could stop the broadcast with simple actions. And as far as Parang knew, there were very few entities in the ocean that could restrain her from performing such simple actions. If she needed to encounter such entities, she simply wouldn¡¯t start the broadcast. In short, it was a complete elimination of risk factors. The viewers found the explanation reasonable. They nodded their heads unconsciously. ¡°And for those who suffered financial or¡­ physical damage due to the recent incident, please submit the extent of the damage and reference materials via the QR code at the bottom right of the screen. We will review and compensate you.¡± She planned to use her own money. According to Silo, most hunters had just been dazed at home for three minutes, so there was virtually no actual damage. So, there wasn¡¯t really any need for Parang to compensate for damages, but well. As long as it wasn¡¯t just a simple ¡®Please compensate me,¡¯ Parang was willing to provide generous and ample financial compensation. Thus, with a sincere apology, a clear future plan, and compensation for damages, all three conditions for an exemplary apology were met. As a result, public opinion mostly turned favorable. Those who had been maliciously criticizing Parang from the start were mostly forcibly removed, leaving only the viewers who were originally supportive or neutral. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, the remaining question was, ¡®So when¡¯s the next broadcast?¡¯ ©¤So when¡¯s the next broadcast ©¤Seriously, when are you going to start it Fortunately, Parang had already planned for that. ¡°I will start it right now.¡± ©¤??? ©¤Excuse me?? Parang bowed her head one last time and then pushed over the chroma key screen behind her. And when all the viewers saw the scene that unfolded behind it, they had to admit one thing. ©¤Wow, damn ©¤Is this really underwater? ©¤Honestly, I thought I¡¯d seen everything amazing during the train broadcast. ©¤Indeed, there was no substitute for Parang¡¯s broadcast. Chapter 55: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (2) Chapter 55: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 55 EP.55 Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (2) Thud¡ª The green chroma key screen fell, revealing the scenery it had been hiding behind it on the broadcast screen. And for a while, the chat stopped. They had to take in the scenery before their eyes. There was no time to move their fingers. Parang was standing at the entrance of some cave. In fact, it was more like a cylindrical cavity than a cave. Since Parang was standing at the upper part of the cavity, the viewers could see the entire interior at a glance. ¡°How is it?¡± The inside of the cavity was filled with a deep, dark blue light. Something filling the wide space was emitting that light. Swaying, countless corals. Various corals swayed here and there, filling the deep blue cavity, centered around a super-giant coral that grew almost to the ceiling. When people think of corals, they often imagine them as hard, stationary objects like rocks, but there are many types that sway in the water like sea anemones. The corals spread widely on the floor here were just such corals. They were all blue, swaying back and forth with the water currents, looking exactly like grass swaying in a windy field. And in the space filled with such corals, various giant corals also swayed. Some stood upright like trees, swaying, while others spread out flat and raised their tentacles like a reed field. With so many of them densely packed, it looked like a forest of tall grass. Not just the floor. The strange-shaped corals clinging to the walls made the dreamy scenery look even more surreal. One thing was certain: no one but Parang could show such a scene. She, as if diving, lightly jumped forward from where she was standing. Then she stopped. She let herself sink, waiting for her body to descend, as if watching a slow-motion scene. As she got closer to the bottom, her wide field of vision narrowed, and finally, she could count each tentacle of the coral. Thud¡ª Yu Parang gracefully spun once in the air and gently landed on the floor of the cavity. How she found a place to land among the dense corals was a mystery, but Parang landed without hesitation. From the point where she landed, a long stone path stretched out like a small trail through a grassy field. On both sides, tentacles about 1 meter long swayed, emitting a deep blue light. It looked like a small path through a dense reed field. It wasn¡¯t visible from above, but small fish were swimming in and out among the corals. The long, narrow floor between the corals led towards the super-giant coral seen earlier, winding and stretching out. The scene was so dreamy, beautiful, and bizarre that the viewers couldn¡¯t easily form an opinion about the cavity. ¡°It¡¯s called the Coral Cavity. It¡¯s a space somewhere in the East Sea.¡± ©¤Wow¡­ is this a Hive too? ©¤It¡¯s too small to be a Hive. Is it an Object? ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s neither a Hive nor an Object. It¡¯s just a simple geographical feature.¡± Parang leisurely looked around the stone path of the Coral Cavity. As if it were a real walking path, short pillar-shaped corals emitting bright blue light were placed at regular intervals along the path. The viewers realized why this space looked so dreamy. This wasn¡¯t just a space where corals had grown densely. It was more like a meticulously maintained garden. Now they noticed that the winding path had a consistent width, just right for a person to walk through. Curious viewers¡ªthough anyone would be curious upon seeing this scene¡ªbombarded Parang with questions. ©¤What is this place? ©¤No way these grew naturally And they achieved a feat that happens maybe once in a few years. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Successfully predicting something on Parang¡¯s broadcast. ¡°This Coral Cavity didn¡¯t form naturally. It was originally a wide, empty space with nothing in it.¡± Parang gently brushed her hand through the swaying corals beside her. ¡°And it¡¯s not some mysterious anomaly that suddenly appeared like an Object or a Hive.¡± As she gently swept her hand through the swaying thin tentacles, small colorful fish swimming together inside became visible. When Parang cupped her hands to form a basket shape, the small fish gathered inside and swam in circles. ¡°I created the ¡®Coral Cavity.¡¯ When I first discovered this space, I wanted to make it into a place that suited my tastes. So, whenever I had time, I brought corals from all over the world and grew them here. The same goes for the fish.¡± Corals are essentially made up of tiny animals called ¡®polyps,¡¯ so you don¡¯t need to bring an entire giant coral; just a part of it can grow into a large size. This is why she could collect corals from seas around the world. However, typical corals require very specific environments and are highly sensitive to minor changes, making it nearly impossible to create such a large aquarium. But Parang thought. Just as mutated fish from the Monster Layer can live in various environments and spread across the world¡¯s oceans, perhaps mutated corals could also thrive in any environment. ¡°So I experimented. I took a coral from the surface and placed it on an Object located in the Monster Layer.¡± A few days later, when she went back, she found a large, beautiful, and adaptable mutated coral that could grow anywhere. Starting from there, she traveled the world, collecting corals that suited her taste, mutating them, and then bringing parts of them to this cavity to grow and create a garden. In this way, Parang succeeded in making this entire large cavity her own space. She visits once a month to maintain it regularly. The viewers looked at Parang as if she were a crazy woman. ©¤She¡¯s insane. ©¤Seems like a lunatic? ©¤She¡¯s nuts. It was indeed a crazy act. Who would come up with such an idea? But well, it wasn¡¯t the first time Parang had shown her eccentric side, so they just accepted it. ¡°So, today¡¯s broadcast is about garden maintenance.¡± As she started walking along the path, small fish that had been swimming among the corals began to swirl around her. ©¤Did she train the fish too?? ©¤The atmosphere is insane. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the fish¡­ They just keep sticking to me. It¡¯s fascinating.¡± Well, even if she didn¡¯t know the reason, it looked nice. Parang, who already had a mysterious aura, walking through a beautiful coral garden surrounded by fish, looked like a mermaid princess. ©¤It¡¯s really pretty. ?You think this is pretty? It¡¯s just gloomy and scary. Of course, opinions about the coral garden¡¯s scenery varied among the viewers. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some found the sight of countless tentacles swaying like grass to be beautiful and dreamy, while others found it creepy and eerie. ¡°Yuna, please ban the person who just said it¡¯s creepy from chatting for 30 minutes.¡± However, there wasn¡¯t much a viewer could do if they found it creepy. Seeing the unfortunate viewer who had their preference ¡®normalized¡¯ in an instant, the ¡®anti-coral garden faction¡¯ had no choice but to keep quiet. Chatting and leisurely enjoying the scenery as they followed the path, Parang eventually reached the large central coral. She stepped back slightly to give the viewers a better view. This was the coral she had first brought here and started growing, the one she was most attached to. Parang didn¡¯t know the exact species name. Vertea told her every time, but it was too long to remember. It looked very similar to a baobab tree growing on land, so she called it Baobab. ¡°It¡¯s a Baobab. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ©¤Wow, is this also a coral? ©¤It¡¯s really huge. ©¤Pretty¡­ maybe? Parang knew that the Baobab slightly, just a little, deviated from the general standards of beauty. ¡°10¡­ 9¡­ 8¡­¡± ©¤It¡¯s really pretty. ©¤Among the corals here, it¡¯s one of the prettiest. ©¤I think I like corals. But the kind-hearted viewers respected Parang¡¯s taste. ¡°Well done.¡± She started ¡®maintaining¡¯ the area around the Baobab. In fact, mutated corals were so tough and grew so well that there wasn¡¯t much professional maintenance needed. She just trimmed the unsightly protruding parts and removed any dead sections. Thus, for almost the first time on Parang¡¯s broadcast, a peaceful, non-combat broadcast took place. Initially, the viewers were puzzled by the unusual broadcast without a single monster, but soon they found peace of mind watching the leisurely garden maintenance in the deep sea. Thanks to Parang¡¯s continuous storytelling, it was perfect as a radio broadcast as well. ¡°So, upon closer inspection, what I thought was a fish turned out to be bait. Suddenly, those things opened their eyes from all directions and stared at me¡­.¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t forget the main purpose of the broadcast, which was to prevent viewers from falling asleep, so she only told terrifying and bizarre stories, occasionally sending chills down their spines. But visually, it wasn¡¯t creepy. So, it was quite a fairy-like broadcast. And Parang felt this, just like the viewers did. She thought that the peaceful atmosphere was indeed better. She didn¡¯t know if that day would ever come, but someday, if diving became completely safe and not dangerous at all, if that day ever came. Then, it would be nice to zone out for a while, watching the beautiful sea with the viewers. She looked at the swaying corals with unusually sentimental eyes. And when she checked the chat, ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. Chills ran down her spine. What? There¡¯s no way Brachium could be here, right? Besides, there was no skill notification! She quickly looked around but saw nothing. Her eyes trembled violently. In a hurry, she looked at the chat again, ©¤Hahahahahaha ©¤Hahahahaha ©¤Hahahahahahahaha ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C [Lol, trolling the host is so much fun lol] ¡®What?¡¯ She scrolled up the chat and saw the scene of the conspiracy. ©¤The host seems to be zoning out right now. How about we spam ¡°open your eyes¡±? ©¤Oh shit lolololol ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Will this work? ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ©¤Open your eyes. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Parang let out a sigh of relief. At least nothing bad had happened. ¡®Huh?¡¯ But on second thought, wasn¡¯t this a perfect example of being completely played by the viewers? How dare they joke around like this. It seemed necessary to establish some discipline. There was still time before the interview. She had planned to just show the garden and end it today. ©¤Lololol ©¤Hahaha ©¤Clip it and make it a meme lol The viewers, who were laughing uproariously without knowing the fate that awaited them, seemed so annoying. So, she made a decision! ¡°Everyone, did you have fun?¡± Parang smiled only with her mouth, without even a slight movement in her eyes. ¡°I hope you did.¡± She immediately dashed out of the coral garden. And about 5 minutes later. ©¤I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong ©¤Just spare me¡­ ©¤Damn, I thought I could watch until the end of the stream today Parang, we had a good time, why do you keep doing this The disaster they had brought upon themselves engulfed the viewers. Author¡¯s Note (Author¡¯s Postscript) If you¡¯re curious about corals that resemble swaying grass, search for ¡®Star Polyp¡¯ on YouTube. Link: Here Chapter 56: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (3) Chapter 56: Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 56 EP.56 Yu Parang, Turn on the Broadcast!! (3) Shuaa¡ª! Parang exited the garden at an incredible speed and swam with a maddening pace. Thanks to this, the viewers could see the outside of the ¡®garden,¡¯ which was quite fascinating. At first, they saw a cavity surrounded by rocks and thought, ¡®Oh, it¡¯s a hole in a mountain or a cliff.¡¯ But what was this? It was just a rock with a hole in it, standing tall on a flat floor. There were no mountains or cliffs around. Just a solitary rock standing on a flat surface. Its appearance was very, very peculiar. ©¤Why is it like that? ©¤Damn, I never imagined it would look like this. ¡°Oh, sometimes there are sections like this. Just slightly above or below the Monster Layer. At such depths, there are occasionally awkward terrains like this.¡± ©¤This doesn¡¯t seem like something to talk about so casually. ©¤So, what¡¯s the depth here? ¡°We¡¯re currently at a depth of 600 meters. Oh, I forgot to display the depth interface. Just a moment.¡± Parang had forgotten to switch from the apology broadcast settings to the regular broadcast settings. When she took out her phone and manipulated the app, the depth and temperature interface soon appeared on the broadcast screen. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll be going down. Those who played pranks earlier, I remember your nicknames, so don¡¯t leave and type ¡®The sea is dangerous¡¯ every three minutes. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll find you and ban you.¡± ©¤No, please. ©¤The sea is dangerous. ©¤Parang, just spare me. ©¤The sea is dangerous. Being banned from Parang¡¯s broadcast was scarier to the viewers than a monster surprise. Parang continued to swim with a satisfied smile. Before long, the flat plain that had been empty ended, and a cliff that dropped at a 90-degree angle appeared. Below was the deep blue she had always seen. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Parang quickly swam downward. ©¤Hey, where are you going? ©¤Please at least tell us where you¡¯re going. ©¤Aaaah! ©¤The sea is dangerous. ©¤Parang, we were wrong. Let¡¯s talk this out. ©¤The sea is dangerous. ©¤¡®??¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C [ Please, just give us one more chance¡­!! ] ¡°It¡¯s over. You incompetent fools.¡± Who told them to mess with Parang when she was just minding her own business? Even the usually gentle Parang was quite angry about this matter. There happened to be a perfect Object down below. The last time she checked, ¡®Topoda¡¯ were living there. She hadn¡¯t hunted them, and Topoda were top predators, so they were likely still there. ¡®Please be there¡­ Please¡­!!¡¯ Topoda would be more than enough to teach the impudent viewers a lesson. ©¤The sea is dangerous. And finally, Yu Parang arrived! Current depth: 2.1 km. A giant beer can floating in the water appeared before Parang¡¯s eyes. With a red background, wide white accents, and black italic letters, the beer can stood out. The tab on the opening was red, which was its trademark. Its appearance was coincidentally very similar to a beer can on Earth, so when Oceanos first discovered it, he was greatly shocked. Usually, when an Object resembling something humans use is found in the deep sea, it doesn¡¯t have any brand markings at all. A typical example is the toothpaste tube Object Parang encountered a long time ago. It was painted in a single color without any patterns, let alone a brand. The viewers were also amazed when they recognized the beer can from afar. ©¤Isn¡¯t that the thing? ©¤I have that on my desk right now. ©¤I drank that yesterday, what is this??? ©¤The sea is dangerous. ©¤Did someone drink it and throw it away? ©¤No way lol ©¤The sea is dangerous. And Parang periodically entered this can to kill monsters and came out. This is why she couldn¡¯t drink this particular brand of beer in reality, even though she could drink other beers. Anyway, Parang entered the beer can Object. The beer can Object was about 1.5 times larger in volume than the toothpaste tube Object. So, it could easily accommodate one or two medium-sized monsters like Galecus. Inside, well, it looked like a typical Object. A dark space covered with disgusting green mucus everywhere. Parang turned on her flashlight and stood at the entrance of the beer can, scanning her surroundings. And then she saw something in her field of vision. ©¤What the hell is that? ©¤Is that a bone?? ©¤It looks like a bone. ©¤The sea is dangerous. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is a monster¡¯s bone. It probably tried to settle here but got eaten.¡± Judging by its length and body shape, it was a serpent-type monster somewhere between small and medium-sized. Parang wasn¡¯t skilled enough to identify the monster just from its broken skeleton, so her deduction ended there. She carefully looked inside the Object, but there was no noticeable movement. Conclusion: The Topoda was still there. ¡®Lucky me.¡¯ What would she have done if the Topoda wasn¡¯t here, which had about a 5% chance? ¡­Well, in that case, it would mean another monster had wiped out the Topoda and settled there, so she would have adjusted the broadcast accordingly. Confirming the presence of the Topoda, Parang began her broadcast with a sly demeanor. ¡°Oh~ Unfortunately, it seems there are no monsters here. It looks like they were recently hunted. Such a pity.¡± ©¤Damn, there¡¯s something. ©¤There¡¯s something there. ©¤There¡¯s definitely something. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤The sea is dangerous. ©¤We can see your smile reaching your ears. Was it that obvious? It was hard to contain her excitement. Having decided to be blatantly shameless, Parang walked forward silently. Desperately holding back her laughter. ¡°There really are no monsters here. Look, over here, over there, even way over there. See? Nothing.¡± ©¤Is she serious? ©¤Do you think she¡¯s serious? Look at her face. ©¤The sea is dangerous. Parang pretended not to know anything, and it was very effective. To the viewers, it indeed seemed like an empty space with no monsters, but seeing Yu Parang¡¯s raised smile made it hard to believe there was nothing there. Confusion, confusion. More confusion! ¡°But since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s just look around a bit¡­¡± Fwaaaaaaah!!!!!! Just as Parang was about to continue speaking, the wall covered in green mucus suddenly opened its eyes and rushed at Parang at an incredible speed. Puhwaak-!! Parang skillfully speared it with her harpoon, killing it instantly. ©¤Oh my god, what the hell ©¤Aaaah! ©¤Do I have to see this even here? ©¤The sea is dangerous. The chat was in an uproar, shocked by the sudden appearance of the monster. It had shown no signs at all before suddenly attacking, so their reaction was understandable. Barely holding back her laughter, Parang finally began explaining about the octopus monster, Topoda. ¡°Topoda is a mutated octopus monster. Originally masters of disguise, octopuses become nearly perfectly camouflaged with their surroundings when they mutate into monsters, hunting their prey.¡± Octopuses have three other remarkable abilities besides their delicious taste that even fresh food can¡¯t match. The first is their ink. Spraying ink in an emergency and fleeing has become an undeniable identity of octopuses. The second is their intelligence. A quick search on YouTube will show videos of octopuses escaping mazes and opening bottle caps, proving they have above-average intelligence. The third is their mimicry ability. They can freely change their body color to blend perfectly with their surroundings, another identity of octopuses. In movies, octopus characters are always portrayed as masters of infiltration. ¡°And when an octopus mutates into a Topoda, all three of these traits become significantly stronger.¡± More lethal ink, higher intelligence, and more perfect mimicry. With these three abilities, Topoda can establish itself as a top predator in the monster ecosystem, despite being only twice the size of the original octopus. Naturally, Topoda¡¯s specialty is ambushing while in hiding. ¡°And inside this Object, there are swarms of Topoda. I¡¯d estimate around fifty to sixty of them?¡± ©¤Damn, fifty of those things? ©¤I was going to eat octopus today!!! ©¤I was eating it just now lol¡­ ©¤The sea is dangerous (this is serious). ¡°That¡¯s what I means.¡± Parang placed one hand on her hip and pointed her index finger of the other hand towards the ceiling. Fwaaaaaaah!!! Thump! Kieeeek-! The Topoda clinging to Parang¡¯s hand tried to escape by spraying ink, Puhwaak! But Parang clenched her fist tightly, bursting the Topoda instantly. ¡°This means they will keep ambushing me like this. Were you surprised?¡± ©¤Yes;;; ©¤Yes, very much;; ¡°I see. I understand.¡± She only understood. Parang had no intention of stopping. ¡°From now on, I will go to the end of this Object, which corresponds to the bottom of the beer can, and come back. During that process, the Topoda will keep trying to ambush me.¡± ©¤Oh, please, the sea is dangerous. ©¤Just this once, please, the sea is dangerous. ¡°Fortunately, once you spot the Topoda¡¯s camouflage, it¡¯s easy to see through it. This means you can know where the ambush will come from. Doesn¡¯t that reduce the fear?¡± ©¤Well, yes, but¡­ ©¤I feel like I¡¯ll never find them. ©¤The sea is dangerous¡­ ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not something I need to worry about. Lastly, Topoda takes about five seconds to scan a target before attacking.¡± So¡ª ¡°So, try to find them within five seconds. Good luck!¡± Perspective, fixed in first-person. Good luck, damn it, the sea is dangerous. Parang confidently walked inside the Object. And then, a scream. The viewers cried out. What could they do? It was a disaster they brought upon themselves. Thus, the chat was quickly filled with the joyous screams of the viewers. Yu Parang¡¯s apology broadcast. A great success. Chapter 57: Interlude Chapter 57: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 57 EP.57 Interlude ¡°Well, everyone. That¡¯s it for today¡¯s broadcast. The next broadcast will be¡­.¡± Parang thought for a moment, carefully going over her schedule in her mind. ¡°I think the next broadcast will be in two days. See you then.¡± Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast ended in great success. The original purpose was to apologize for the Brachium Shock, followed by two short subsequent parts. Although the flow of the broadcast was unprecedented, with her disciplining the viewers right after the apology, the apology itself was done cleanly, and the mood was shifted in the coral garden. From the moment ¡°open your eyes¡± was used as a joke, it was clear that the broadcast atmosphere was very cheerful. The viewers, thinking only of teasing while Parang sincerely apologized, resembled someone Parang enjoyed watching in her past life. By the time they entered the beer can Object, the chat¡¯s opinion was almost entirely supportive of Parang. After all, disciplining the viewers was something she did daily. So, the apology was well-received, and the broadcast itself was also well-received. Naturally, the community was abuzz. As a result of this apology broadcast, finally: [Damn, Yu Parang Gallery is open. Get out of the Hunter Gallery] [Author: Faraway] You crazy bastards, is this the Hunter Gallery or Yu Parang Gallery? I¡¯ve had enough, I¡¯m opening a gallery and becoming the admin. Now get out of the Hunter Gallery, please. (Yu Parang Gallery link) ©¤Haha, awesome ©¤Finally!!! ©¤ (Worship emoticon) Yu Parang Gallery, newly established! Although the need had always been felt, no one had volunteered to be the admin, so the Yu Parang Gallery had never been created until now. Parang¡¯s viewers, who frequently took over the Hunter Gallery, finally had a place where they could talk without feeling self-conscious (not that they ever did). [Damn, the admin bailed on me after handing it over, what is this?] [Author: Luminous Monster] (A screenshot of the highest admin appointment message and a 30-day ban notification with the message ¡°Pick it up yourself.¡±) What the hell ©¤Hahaha ©¤Then why did you accept the admin role lol ? No, the admin role was forced on me too;;;; ? Lol ? What a sucker lol After a peaceful resolution, a die-hard fan who had been following Yu Parang since her first broadcast took over the admin position, and naturally, the gallery was filled with people who endlessly supported Yu Parang. [Damn, who started this ¡®open your eyes¡¯ thing, aaaaah] [7] [Yu Parang Garden GIF collection] [12] [Turn on Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast, damn it, turn it on, damn it, turn it on, damn it] [5] [Isn¡¯t Yu Parang new to broadcasting? Why is she so good at handling things?] [13] [Damn, who started this ¡®open your eyes¡¯ thing, aaaaah] [Author: Good day] The mood was good today, damn it, I thought I could watch until the end today, really. Give me back my garden, damn it, we were having a good time, why did she have to start disciplining us? ©¤Honestly, the person who joked about it is at fault ??¡­ ©¤That scene is over ?? come back in ? Oh, really? ? Yeah, she¡¯s about to end the broadcast soon, so hurry up. There¡¯s supposed to be an interview or something, so it¡¯ll be a short broadcast. ? Oh, really? Thanks, I¡¯ll go in quickly. ? Damn it, you¡¯re gonna get it. ? Hahahahahaha Honestly, it was fun lol. I enjoyed seeing the host flustered. [Yu Parang Garden GIF Collection] [Author: Commander] (A picture of small fish swimming around Yu Parang.) (Waving coral grassland.) (A GIF of Yu Parang walking around the baobab tree.) It¡¯s so beautiful, where is this place? Those small fish don¡¯t seem to be monsters, so isn¡¯t it above the monster layer? Can I go there too? ©¤No way lol ©¤No way lol ©¤Damn, is that beautiful? It just looks creepy as hell. ? I captured it and sent it to Yu Parang¡¯s email. ? Is this real? ? No way. [Isn¡¯t Yu Parang new to broadcasting? Why is she so good at handling things?] [Author: Road 201] She started an apology broadcast because of a controversy, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone wrap it up so cleanly. There was sincerity in the apology. No pathetic excuses. Clear follow-up plans. No emotional appeals. She even said she¡¯d compensate the damages out of her own pocket. And when asked when the next broadcast would be, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it now,¡± lol. Maybe she¡¯s just a natural-born broadcasting genius. ©¤It felt like a textbook example of an apology ?? ©¤Honestly, I was determined to criticize her no matter what, but there was nothing to pick on, so I just left. ©¤She handled the situation well at the time too ?? ? For real, if she hadn¡¯t ended the broadcast immediately and let the debuff drag on, it would¡¯ve been a disaster, but she acted super fast. [What are you doing? Post it lol] [Author: SkyTower] (A picture of Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast profile with a halo edited in.) Da da da lol ©¤ (Worship emoticon) ©¤ (Worship emoticon) ¡­¡­ ©¤ (Worship emoticon) [Yu Parang started broadcasting again? ??] [Author: StatusEffectBroadcast] (A collection of infamous disgusting images circulating on the internet. A series of revolting pictures follows.) ©¤ (No food emoticon) ©¤ (Speechless emoticon) Of course, there were also those who maliciously tried to disrupt the gallery. But, [Damn it, you crazy bastards, why are you looking at this, damn it, ah] [Author: StatusEffectBroadcast] Why are the broadcast highlights nothing but disgusting images, damn it ©¤? ©¤Hmm, is it that bad? ©¤ (Is this real? emoticon) Yu Parang¡¯s viewers were generally more mature than expected. Thus, a world where no one got hurt was created. # Meanwhile, Yu Parang. After pressing the end broadcast button, she began to swim upwards slowly. She was heading to the interview location that had been arranged in advance. Since both the interviewee, Parang, and the interviewer, Ishia, coincidentally lived in Pohang, the interview location was also set in the sea off Pohang. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With plenty of time on her hands, she decided to enjoy the underwater tranquility. Slowly, slowly. Upwards, upwards. Parang¡¯s gaze caught something unusual. ??????¡­¡­¡­¡­. A distinctly foreign shape in the distance. At first, she thought it was just a school of monsters moving together, but something seemed off. Strangely, it felt too neat, giving off an inexplicable suspicious vibe. Unable to just pass it by, Parang quickly swam towards it. The current depth was 1km. What appeared before her was a monster she had encountered before. A red body shaped like a ¡°?¡± with large eyes. It was a Capulus. If it had just been this, she might have greeted it and moved on, but this time it was different. No, it was very, excessively different. ¡°What is this?¡± Parang muttered to herself without thinking. What unfolded before her eyes was a swarm of Capulus. Exactly one thousand Capulus were clustered together. The reason she knew there were exactly one thousand was because of their peculiar arrangement. Ten horizontally, ten vertically, and ten vertically again. The Capulus were positioned in a precise grid, each spaced about 50 meters apart. All facing the same direction. With such a neat formation, Parang hesitated to disturb them. This could be highly valuable for studying Capulus behavior, and disrupting the formation could ruin everything. So, she decided to take a picture and send it to Vertea. ©¤ Wow ©¤ What is this? ©¤ I¡¯m heading there right now. ©¤ Send me the coordinates. Vertea couldn¡¯t resist and said she would come immediately. So, Parang sent her the coordinates. ©¤ I¡¯m moving to warp now. ©¤ It¡¯ll take about two hours. ©¤ Two hours. Spending two hours here would make her late for the interview. She couldn¡¯t just wait for Vertea to arrive. It wouldn¡¯t be right to touch anything before Vertea got there either. Her expertise as a scholar would be much more beneficial for the research. So, Parang closed her eyes and turned away. She was curious, but she couldn¡¯t be late for her appointment. She decided to ask Vertea about it later. She headed towards the interview location. After some time, Vertea Fabron arrived at the designated coordinates in the East Sea, ¡°Huh?¡± By the time she arrived, the Capulus had already vanished without a trace. All that remained was the familiar scenery of the monster layer. She searched the surroundings thoroughly, but there was no sign of the Capulus, not even a shadow. About three hours later, after finishing the interview, Parang received a long, angry text from Vertea, starting with a demand to pay for the warp costs. Parang felt incredibly wronged, but what could she do? The situation had turned out this way. Thus, the enigmatic creature, Capulus, once again successfully evaded the investigative net of Parang and Oceanos. Chapter 58: Falling Moon House Beam (1) Chapter 58: Falling Moon House Beam (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 58 Parang turned off the banking app with a sullen expression. How could they disappear in less than two hours? It didn¡¯t make sense that Vertea couldn¡¯t find the Capulus swarm even after searching the area thoroughly. No joke, Vertea might have really searched the entire East Sea. So, did they manage to escape Vertea¡¯s search radius in that short time in the waters off South Korea? Not just anyone¡¯s search radius, but Vertea¡¯s. It was something no ordinary monster could dream of doing. Moreover, Capulus had nothing to do with being ¡®fast¡¯. They always appeared floating aimlessly. Stealth¡­ was even more unlikely. Very few monsters could hide from Vertea. Capulus didn¡¯t seem like one of them. They didn¡¯t even try to hide from Parang. ¡®Could it be that only I can see them?¡¯ ¡­No way. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re imaginary friends. Besides, didn¡¯t she watch them with the viewers during the East Sea broadcast? ¡®What on earth is going on¡­?¡¯ Standing there, lost in thought, she checked the time and saw it was six in the evening. Six in the evening was prime time for lounging around in the sea. But Parang made up her mind and decided to forgo her underwater rest! She decided to take another look around the area where she had found the Capulus. No matter how much she thought about it, it felt too unsettling. Even though she didn¡¯t expect to find anything by going now, she decided to go anyway. Maybe they had dropped something, like how Galecus sheds its scales. It was possible that Vertea had missed it by sheer coincidence. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Honestly, the idea that Capulus could evade Vertea¡¯s search seemed less convincing. So, Parang headed back to the monster layer. And then¡­ ¡®What the¡­ It¡¯s right here.¡¯ About 300 meters below the spot where she had found the Capulus swarm before, she discovered the same Capulus swarm. Could Vertea have forgotten to search here? No, that didn¡¯t seem likely. Just as Parang was about to take out her phone to text Vertea¡­ Wooooong- All one thousand Capulus eyes began to glow purple simultaneously. From Parang¡¯s extensive experience as a professional underwater hunter, she knew that when something glows underwater, it usually means, ¡°I¡¯m about to launch a mental attack.¡± Parang instinctively went into alert mode. ¡­Alert¡­ mode. ¡®Huh?¡¯ No notification appeared. If the Capulus were launching a mental attack, a notification window should have appeared. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is now active. ] The friendly notification window didn¡¯t show up this time. So, it wasn¡¯t a mental attack? The Capulus, which had been forming a grid, were now gathering into a spherical formation around Parang. As always, Parang seemed to attract monsters. The surroundings were now filled with the purple light emitted from the Capulus¡¯ eyes, bathing everything in a complete purple hue. Upon this, Parang looked around and spoke. ¡°Why did you not appear before, and now you have gathered here?¡± ¡°I beseech you, pretend you do not see us.¡± ¡°Then what will you offer in return?¡± ¡°We shall offer half of our number.¡± ¡°I understand your will.¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ . . . ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö . . . ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡­ Parang opened her eyes. She saw the Capulus emitting a purple glow, arranged in a sphere around her. There seemed to be about a thousand of them, but some emitted a weaker light than others, and about half had their eyeballs burst, with only blood, pus, and flesh filling their eye sockets. Parang thought to herself. There didn¡¯t seem to be a need to call Vertea now. Parang had something important to do. She couldn¡¯t quite remember what it was, but she needed to get home quickly. There was no time to observe the Capulus. ¡®Well, I can do it next time. There will be plenty of opportunities.¡¯ Parang headed home. # Yu Parang, returning home. ¡°Hmm, hmm~¡± For some reason, she felt good. Maybe it was because she had rested comfortably underwater for the first time in a while. Her head throbbed a bit, perhaps from dozing off, but the unpleasant sensation soon disappeared. Indeed, people need to rest. Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong- As she sank into the plush sofa and lazed around for a bit, starting around eight in the evening, the Oceanos members began to arrive one by one for tomorrow¡¯s statue hunt. Elvira arrived last at ten o¡¯clock, completing the group. Parang popped some microwave popcorn she had stashed away and cracked open a can of beer for everyone. Pssshhh¡­ They all fell asleep watching Netholics together. ¡­ ¡­ [ ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö ] [ The ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö of the ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö. ] [ ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡öten¡ö¡ö. ] . . ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Stay right there.¡± ¡­ # And then, morning! ¡°Haah, haaaah¡­!!¡± Stretching comfortably, Yu Parang woke up! The current time was eight-thirty in the morning. A super ultra early fish wake-up. She felt oddly unsettled, as if she had a dream last night, but soon felt at ease again. It was like giving a disease and then providing the cure. Parang¡¯s mood was peculiar. She got up from the tank, changed her clothes, and went straight outside. From the room down the hall, loud snoring could be heard, and from the shower room opposite, the sound of running water. As she went downstairs, a delicious smell wafted through the air. In the culinary wasteland that was Oceanos, only Elvira could produce such a level of cooking. She had brought a bunch of stuff yesterday and stuffed it into the fridge, which turned out to be cooking ingredients. With slightly quickened steps, Parang walked towards the kitchen, where she saw a hearty, if not fancy, meal. A steaming hot soup with a crimson hue and a steaming Golrubucci. It was Parang¡¯s favorite combination. ¡°You¡¯re up early. There¡¯s more in the pot, so help yourself if you need more.¡± Having devoured almost two servings, Parang then moved to the living room. She pushed aside Vertea, who was lazily sprawled on the sofa looking at her phone, and enjoyed the lazy morning sunlight. This was a typical day after a sleepover for Oceanos. After some time, even the last to wake, Xiao, finished eating, and excluding Elvira, the five members did the dishes. By 10:30 a.m., everyone was seated in the living room. They gathered to discuss the day¡¯s upcoming hunt. The one who called the meeting, Parang, opened the discussion. Her eyes briefly lost their light. ¡°¡­Actually, I should have said this earlier, but the target we¡¯re hunting this time is a ¡®Titan¡¯.¡± The word ¡®Titan¡¯ alone changed the expressions of all Oceanos members dramatically. A fury and fighting spirit that seemed capable of incinerating everything around filled the space. Russell immediately raised his voice, growling at Parang. ¡°A Titan, you say. Why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner?¡± He wasn¡¯t truly angry with Parang, but he couldn¡¯t hide his negative emotions. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Xiao intervened. ¡°She probably didn¡¯t tell us because she thought you¡¯d rush in without thinking, like you¡¯re doing now. Calm down.¡± Vertea chimed in as well. ¡°Xiao is right. You really need to get serious about controlling your temper. But aside from that, I feel the same. Why did you keep it a secret?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a secret. As you all know, I¡¯ve had a lot¡­ going on lately.¡± It was the truth. The day after sighting the Titan, Oceanos caught a sperm whale. Before Parang could bring up the Titan, Xiao made a bombshell announcement related to the ¡®Slayers¡¯ Artifact¡¯. Then, Parang¡¯s trip to Hong Kong was decided, making it awkward to bring up the Titan. At that time, they were really trying hard to hide Oceanos from the entire world, so they were reluctant to gather two days in a row. After going to Hong Kong, Parang personally witnessed an attempt on her life and then heard the news of the Slayers¡¯ death from Silo who approached her afterward. And so on. There had been a lot going on. Thus, the discussion about the Titan had been postponed until now. So, what exactly is this ¡®Titan¡¯ that instantly filled the world¡¯s strongest underwater hunters with rage? As the name suggests, it¡¯s an incredibly large statue. It was the creature Parang encountered on the day of their first broadcast. The underwater statues, collectively called ¡®Statue¡¯, are divided into four types, small ones, medium ones, large ones, and incredibly large ones. The largest, strongest, most troublesome, and rarest of these are called Titans. How rare are they? Including the one Parang discovered this time, Oceanos has only found ten such entities. There were two more in the statue army that appeared in Alexandra¡¯s memory, making it twelve unofficially. Out of those, Oceanos had dealt with nine. The two that faced the Slayers¡­ well, Alexandra¡¯s memory didn¡¯t show them being defeated, so they were set aside. There was one they missed. That one Titan made the entire Oceanos team scour the world¡¯s oceans for about half a year, killing every monster they saw. It left an unforgettable scar on all of them, making them search the seas in tears for a lifetime. That one missed Titan was the one that took Alice Melville, the seventh member of Oceanos. With time, emotions tend to dull, so even if a Titan or Statue is discovered now, they don¡¯t display the same mad rage as they did back then. In the past, they desperately sought information about Alice from the Titans, but after dealing with nine, they found no related information. Now, only anger remained. ¡­At least, that¡¯s what they wanted to believe. With the revelation that the target was a Titan, there was no more time to waste. They quietly looked at each other. Everyone could see into each other¡¯s eyes. And they all could feel it. Their eyes now bore an uncanny resemblance to those of their comrades. Chapter 59: Falling Moon House Beam (2) Chapter 59: Falling Moon House Beam (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 59 After Oceanos exchanged glances, Parang stood up. She was going to get what they needed to find the Titan. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get it. Just wait a moment.¡± Parang quietly headed to the most secluded room on the first floor. When she opened the door, a long staircase leading to the basement appeared, with another door at the end. Parang descended and grabbed the doorknob. From beyond, the sound of rushing water could be heard. When she opened the door, the smell of seawater wafted from the dark basement room. Simultaneously, the sound of rushing water grew louder. She fumbled along the wall and clicked the switch, revealing a massive tank. It was designed to continuously draw in and circulate seawater. While Parang personally purified all the other tanks in the house, this one was an exception. Parang hated this space. The mere existence of such a place in her home filled her with discomfort, so she had stashed it away in the most secluded and inconspicuous corner. She plunged into the tank. Inside were eight human-sized statues, with their heads, arms, and legs broken off, leaving only the torsos, securely bound. Parang hoisted one onto her shoulder and came back out. When she returned to the living room, all of Oceanos had finished preparing for entry. They stepped outside and stood in a line at the dock right in front of Parang¡¯s house. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± The six of them simultaneously dove into the sea with identical movements. It was a perfect dive, with barely a drop of water splashing. Today, more than ever, the face of a cherished comrade who used to dive with them always seemed to linger before their eyes. # Splash-! Shuaa¡­ The cool touch of seawater enveloped Parang¡¯s entire body. The sensation of her body, which had been walking through the air, now submerged in water. The refreshing and exhilarating rush. This was why Parang loved diving. However, she couldn¡¯t fully enjoy this sensation at the moment. Partly because she was carrying a human-sized statue on her back, and partly because of the complex emotions clouding her mind. Parang blankly watched as Diego¡¯s entire body was covered by a decompression diving suit. It was like a nano-suit from a movie. Out of nowhere, a black mass formed underwater, transforming into the thick diving suit that covered his entire body. After about 30 seconds, Diego¡¯s usual underwater appearance came into view. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They dived deeper and deeper. Their destination was the toothpaste tube object where Parang first sighted the Titan. Given the gravity of the situation, they swam downward in silence. ¡°Ah, there it is.¡± Before long, the toothpaste tube object appeared before them. Current depth, 2.1 km below sea level. A glowing light shone vividly from within. It was likely that some mediocre monster had made its nest inside. With a snap of Elvira¡¯s fingers, a grand explosion erupted from within the object. Inside, the monster¡¯s flesh would be splattered everywhere along with the explosives. Oceanos didn¡¯t care. They continued to dive deeper and deeper. If there was a difference from before, it was that they were now descending vertically, looking straight down. 2.7 km below the sea. The deep blue void that had filled their vision began to fade, replaced by darkness. It was the bottom of the East Sea. There were footprints there. Footprints carved into the bedrock by something unimaginably huge and heavy. Centered around the largest footprint were four distinctly smaller ones. That¡¯s what could be seen from above. Descending further and looking closely, one would likely find even smaller footprints, and then those the size of a human, closely packed together. Yes. Statues, they travel in groups. Typically, a ¡®Magnus¡¯ with a height of around 100 meters takes the lead, followed by ¡®Medius¡¯ of about 10 meters in height and human-sized ¡®Parvum¡¯ forming a group. And a Titan, reaching about 1 km in height, would lead several Magnus. This meant that under the Titan Parang saw that day, there would have been hundreds of smaller Statues. The direction of the footprints pointed west. That¡¯s where the Titan was. Oceanos moved again. # How much time had passed? The trail of footprints that had continued westward came to an abrupt end. Where there should have been footprints, there was only a round, bizarre pattern. It was reminiscent of a crop circle. It meant they had arrived. Parang set down the headless statue she had been carrying on her back onto the ocean floor. Thud, crack. The floor cracked slightly. As expected, it was a neutralized ¡®Parvum¡¯ statue. Neutralized was an understatement; it had simply been crudely bound after having its limbs and head severed. It had struggled so much on the way here that Parang¡¯s shoulder ached. Through various trials and errors, Oceanos had learned that when a Statue is destroyed, it summons other Statues nearby. A more precise term might be ¡®awakens¡¯ them. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll start.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Parang had already activated her Personal and transformed. Summoning the Kraken would be useless, but the power of her other skills would be greatly enhanced. She wrapped water around her hand to create a bubble bomb and placed it against Parvum¡¯s solar plexus. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!! In less than a second, about ten explosions occurred in rapid succession. Parvum¡¯s body scattered instantly, spreading everywhere. Flesh, or rather, shards. Sharp fragments flew in all directions, scattering towards Oceanos, but they didn¡¯t even blink, simply watching Parang. Thunk- Thud- Tang- The shards, which seemed capable of slicing and piercing human flesh into pieces, bounced off their bodies as if hitting resilient, tough rubber, without causing any harm. Then, with a final explosion, a red wave burst from Parvum. In Parang¡¯s hand was a blood-red magic stone. The surrounding fragments had long since disappeared. Parang casually tossed the magic stone onto the ground, and a skeletal figure emerged from the earth, took the stone, and vanished somewhere. And as soon as it disappeared with the stone, the ground began to tremble. Rumble. Rumble. Of course, it wasn¡¯t an earthquake. It was the sound of them crawling up. From down below. From the depths of the abyss. Parang¡¯s expression hardened. Everyone¡¯s expression hardened. The Titan they were about to destroy would be their ninth Titan. The sense of futility was something they had already felt with their entire being after destroying eight Titans before. They had shattered them, crushed them, and even melted them. But they never found even a shadow of their precious comrade who had been dragged to the bottom of the sea by a Titan. One after another. Each time a Titan fell, they were overwhelmed by terrible pain. Emptiness, disappointment, futility, despondency, sadness. And a longing that pierced their bones. They knew it was pointless to hope. So, they wrapped their hopes in anger. ¡®Even if we destroy this Titan, Alice won¡¯t come back.¡¯ ¡®I came down here for revenge.¡¯ ¡®The emotions making my heart race now are anger and determination.¡¯ But no matter how much they tried to wrap their emotions, no matter how deeply they tried to bury and seal them, Standing on this trembling ground, a single sentence would crawl up from the depths of their consciousness and reveal itself. ¡®This time, maybe.¡¯ Maybe they could find a trace of her. So once again, they would bring down the Titan. And once again, they would writhe in the emptiness and longing that followed. And when the next Titan appeared, they would dive into the sea to chase it. None of them were unaware that this was a futile act. They all knew it was an act that would bring no reward, only pain. But the option of ¡®giving up¡¯ had long been erased from their minds. From the moment Alice left their side in such a manner, they had only one choice left. To cry out mournfully and scour this damnedly vast ocean. This was why none of them hesitated to dive into the perilous sea, And why all of Oceanos could be so tightly bound together. So, this time too, with invisible tears, they dove into the sea. If they destroyed that monster again, maybe this time. Maybe the trace of their dear comrade would appear. They couldn¡¯t erase that hope. Creak- Creak- Crack!! A white arm burst through the ground behind Parang. Smooth, hard, and heavy white rock. It crawled up, gripping the ground like in the prologue of a zombie movie. The sight of an expressionless plaster statue rising with such a sinister motion was truly bizarre. Parang placed her hand on the chest of the Parvum, which had only its upper body above ground and was trying to pull out its lower body. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!! It exploded in the same way and vanished into light. The ground began to shake with even more ferocity than before. This was just the beginning. Fwoosh, crackle, creak, creak. Countless statues began to crawl up from the ground. Some were large, some were small, and some were so enormous they couldn¡¯t be taken in at a glance. Oceanos quietly glared at those cursed things. They couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s eyes, but they knew. The gaze of the comrade standing next to them was exactly the same as their own. ¡­The battle had begun. Chapter 60: Falling Moon House Beam (3) Chapter 60: Falling Moon House Beam (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 60 Magnus was heavy and large. And according to the general rules of this world, if something was large and heavy, it was slow. The common thought was that a giant about 100 meters tall would take several seconds to take a single step. Unfortunately, in this merciless sea, such implicit rules had long become a crude joke. Thud, thud, thud, thud. A 100-meter-tall statue charged towards Parang. Even with holes punctured all over its body and its major joints shattered, it still moved at a fast pace. A person 100 meters tall would have a stride of about 40 meters. It took four steps in less than three seconds, moving at a speed of approximately 50 meters per second. The strength of the Statues, excluding the Titans, came from their overwhelming physical power and their reckless, aggressive movements. When a 10-meter or 100-meter stone figure moved like a martial artist, each action carried formidable destructive power. When dozens or hundreds of such beings moved together, they could indeed be called a calamity of the deep sea. Ironically, the Titans, which could exert the greatest physical power, barely moved and fought in a different manner. This led to a hypothesis at one time that Titans and other Statues might be different species. This hypothesis was later refuted by its proposer, Vertea. Swoosh!! Parang performed an almost acrobatic swim, changing her course at a right angle. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, whoosh!!! Boom!!!! Magnus clapped its hands together, crushing the space where Parang had just been as if catching a bug. ¡°Russell!!!!¡± She signaled to Russell, who was circling around Magnus¡¯s head, waiting for an opportunity. ¡°Uuuuuuaaaaah!!!¡± With a wild scream, Russell charged towards Magnus¡¯s nape, yellow light bursting from his eyes. Soon, his arm flickered and was enveloped in an aura of the same color as the light. Zzzzzzzz- It coalesced into the shape of a shark. One, two, three, four¡­ The single shark soon became a swarm of sharks. Boom!! As Russell drove his fist into Magnus¡¯s nape, a loud noise erupted, and yellow waves burst forth as the swarm of sharks attacked, causing additional explosions. ¡­Bang! Boom! After the last shark lunged and sank its jaws into the statue, a red wave signaling the destruction of the core burst forth. ¡± ¡± Magnus¡¯s body stiffened and then collapsed. Rumble, rumble, rumble- Thud-! When the 100-meter-tall giant fell, it shook the area as if an earthquake had occurred. The surroundings were already filled with shattered white fragments and fallen Statues. The reason the fallen Statues didn¡¯t dissolve into light was that their bodies were considered ¡®drop items¡¯ by the system. Zzzzzzzz- The Magnus that Parang and Russell had just defeated also dissolved into white light, leaving behind a magic stone, arms, legs, and a face. Why it was like this, Parang didn¡¯t know. Was it suggesting they make armor out of it? Well, whatever the origin. From a distance, it would undoubtedly look like a mountain of corpses had piled up. It was undeniably a grotesque sight. Whether they were stone or something else, the Statues had human forms. However, Parang and Russell felt no emotion as they looked at the scene. They had slaughtered over ten thousand Statues by now. There was no reason to be moved by such a sight, nor did they have the luxury to be. After all, their remaining comrades were still fighting the Titan. Thud- In the distance, the heavy sounds of the Titan¡¯s movements still echoed. 1 km. It was a size not permitted to living beings. Watching such a massive entity thumping around in the abyss would make anyone¡¯s legs go weak and fill them with a sense of helplessness. And what if one had to fight against that giant thing? Parang stared at the Titan. It was like watching a mountain move. Her comrades were now fighting against a moving mountain. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Parang shot towards the Titan like an arrow. # As soon as Parang reached the front of the Titan, it fell towards her with a thunderous noise. It wasn¡¯t collapsing; it was just falling over. However, the mere act of falling caused a shockwave of natural disaster proportions, making Parang instinctively cross her arms to shield her face. Had she been just 100 meters closer, she would have been flattened like a dried fish. In the distance, about 1 km away from Parang, she could see Diego, who had grown to his maximum size, holding the Titan¡¯s ankle. He had brought it down in hand-to-hand combat. Since Diego¡¯s maximum height was 500 meters, it was like a 4-meter-tall person engaging in hand-to-hand combat. And that too, fully clad in a thick diving suit. Truly, a monster. Creak- Creak- Around the fallen Titan, pillars of bone burning with a blue-green flame shot up, binding its arms and legs. Resembling the ribs of a quadruped, these bones pinned only the legs, arms, and fingers to the ground. It was likely because Xiao couldn¡¯t find bones large enough to bind the torso as well. If such bones existed, that would be another problem in itself. Parang looked at the bones restraining the Titan¡¯s arms with a peculiar feeling. A little distance away from the bones, Xiao was extending his arms, emitting blue-green flames from his entire body. Next to him, Vertea and Elvira were fiercely charging towards the Titan¡¯s bound arm. Creak- Creak-!!! Vertea reached out towards the Titan¡¯s arm, which was precariously bound by bones that seemed ready to shatter at any moment, and cast a skill, causing the Titan¡¯s surface to start glowing red. Vertea moved at an explosive speed, heating up an increasingly larger surface area. Then, thunk!! A dull sound emerged from the pulsating part of the heated surface, Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!! Elvira instantly poured her skills into that spot, shattering the core. This was the method Oceanos favored when hunting Titans. It was fast, concise, and precise enough to deliver pinpoint strikes to the core. As soon as one core was destroyed, the Titan broke free from its bone restraints and shook off Diego, who had been buying time by lying on top of it. Parang observed the Titan closely and saw that a significant number of cores had already been destroyed. Its wrists, cheeks, and jaw were either shattered or cracked, and about three fingers seemed to have been forcibly torn off. Though it was hard to see from a distance, there were likely countless similar marks on its torso and legs. All were traces of destroyed cores. Unlike other Statues, Titans had dozens of cores. Oceanos speculated that a creature the size of a Titan couldn¡¯t operate with just one core. Indeed, the more cores they destroyed, the slower the Titan¡¯s movements became, and if the number of remaining cores dropped below ten, it would stop completely. However, this was just a guess; they didn¡¯t know if it was true. They had never studied the substance known as the core. They didn¡¯t know how it operated or even what it was made of. Of course, there had been attempts to study the cores. But it was nearly impossible to extract a core from a frenzied Statue and use it for research. Even extracting the core was a herculean task. So all they knew was that it was ¡®hot¡¯ and ¡®red.¡¯ Questions about how it was embedded in the Statue and how it generated power remained unanswered. Anyway, the point was that Titans had many cores. No matter what they did, Statues wouldn¡¯t stop moving until their cores were destroyed, meaning Parang and Oceanos had to work even harder. Crackle!! By now, the Titan had broken free from its bone restraints, thrown Diego aside, and resumed its attack. It was time for Parang to intervene and help her comrades. But she stood still, watching the Titan rise. Facing that statue still brought back memories of that time. Alice¡¯s incident had been a tremendous shock to all of Oceanos. Their cherished comrade had vanished. Imagine if Vertea were kidnapped by a deep-sea monster tomorrow. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if all of Oceanos went mad and tried to hunt down every monster in the world¡¯s oceans. But for Parang, it was even more intense, much more so. She was the only one who had seen Alice being dragged away. Alice Melville went missing while exploring the East Sea with Parang, entangled with a Titan. It was an immense trauma for Parang. ¡®Wow, damn¡­ it¡¯s really huge. What could that be?¡¯ She vividly remembered discovering the Titan while exploring the East Sea with Alice. ¡®What, what the¡­ why is that¡­!!!¡¯ The shock of finding something that even the Kraken couldn¡¯t handle was still fresh. ¡®Parang!! Parang!!!!!¡¯ She also remembered Alice being dragged away by it. ¡®Die!!! Die!! Please!!! Just die already!! Damn it!!!!¡¯ She still remembered herself screaming and attacking wildly. ¡®Alice, Alice!! Please, no!! Damn it!! Come here!! Come here!!! Aaaaaaaah!!!!¡¯ And she remembered herself pounding the ground like a madwoman at the spot where it had dragged Alice underground. Everything felt as if it had happened yesterday, no, just moments ago. Though she didn¡¯t want to admit it, among the emotions Parang had towards the Titan, there was clearly ¡®fear.¡¯ Deep within her heart, she still heard the never-ending whispers. ¡®Run away. Hide. Run away. Hide.¡¯ Parang was fully aware of this fact. She just didn¡¯t want to admit it. So now, Parang was frozen. She hated herself for being frozen, hated herself for trembling slightly, even if unconsciously. Parang was frozen. Russell quietly looked at her and patted her shoulder. ¡°If it¡¯s too hard, take a break. I can handle it this time.¡± ¡°¡­No. I still have to do it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself too hard. You were frozen because you were thinking about that time again.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­Got it.¡± Unable to find more words to say, he charged towards the Titan first. Parang tried to follow immediately, but her body wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡­ Smack-! Parang slapped her own cheek hard. ¡®Get a grip, Yu Parang.¡¯ The trembling in her legs subsided a bit. She charged towards the Titan. Chapter 61: Falling Moon House Beam (4) Chapter 61: Falling Moon House Beam (4)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 61 ¡°Uuuuaaaaah!!!!¡± Parang screamed as she charged at the Titan. Though she was no more than a speck of dust to an enemy with a height of 1 km, the Titan strangely turned its head sharply to focus on her even as it rolled on the ground. It recognized her as a ¡®threat.¡¯ The blue gemstone eyes of the Titan glared fiercely at Parang, emitting light. Parang knew what happened to those who were exposed to that light without resistance. They would immediately stop and hold their breath to commit suicide. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is activated. ] [ Skill, ¡®Unsinkable Ship¡¯ is activated. ] But Parang neither stopped nor committed suicide. She simply stared at the Titan and charged forward. And in her pupils, a blue light burned more fiercely than ever. The Titan used all sorts of methods to try and stop her. It opened its mouth to spew an enormous amount of water, emitted tremendous heat from its body, and struck the ground to make the terrain rise. But Parang ignored all these attacks and pushed through them head-on. The fierce water jets, the boiling heat, the rising terrain. She just broke through them. [ You have overwhelming superiority over all marine creatures. ] This was the description of Parang¡¯s personal skill, ¡®Daughter of the Kraken.¡¯ And in this world, the absolute rule that held true even if the sky fell was . This was not a figurative expression but literal. Even in the final part of the original work, when the sky fell and all sorts of angels and demons descended, the status window remained intact. Even the final boss, the god, couldn¡¯t tamper with the status window. No matter how vague or hard to understand the explanations were, the fact that the content written there was true was undeniable. In reality, Parang held overwhelming superiority over all marine creatures. This fact would remain unchanged forever. Parang had no doubts about this one truth. It was a kind of ¡®truth.¡¯ In a life where battles to the death were routine, having an unchanging truth by her side in any situation held an unimaginably immense significance. As a result, there were even a few hunters who worshipped the status window. The mental disorder known as ¡®status window dependency syndrome¡¯ was already being studied in depth by academic circles. And Parang also believed that the truth of the ¡®status window¡¯ would never betray her. Even if the world ended, Parang would still hold overwhelming superiority over all marine creatures. But damn it, this world had given her a harsh slap in the face. By presenting a monster that wasn¡¯t a living creature in front of her. The Kraken provided no help to Parang when she faced the Titan. It didn¡¯t swallow the Titan, nor did it even wrap around it to restrain its movements. Whether it couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t, she had no way of knowing. It was probably that it wouldn¡¯t. It was hard to believe that the Kraken couldn¡¯t even stop the Titan¡¯s movements. This was why Parang didn¡¯t over-rely on the Kraken. The shock Parang felt on the day she first encountered the Titan and lost Alice was beyond imagination. For an ordinary person, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if they had fallen into despair and become a wreck, or if it had left a severe trauma. But she stood up again and started fighting. Even after a long time, the fear still remained. Sometimes, she hid and trembled in fear. But she didn¡¯t stop moving forward. She swung her fists at boulders. She threw harpoons at rocks. She rammed her body against mountains. Each time, her body accumulated more wounds, bruises, and bled. But she didn¡¯t stop. After that incident, she no longer blindly believed in this world or the Kraken. Instead, she decided to find something else to believe in. Herself. Did the status window define Parang as a ¡®hunter strong against living creatures¡¯? Parang decided to reject that. Not just living creatures, but even non-living entities like Titans. Whatever it was, she would become someone who could crush anything that dared to stand in her way. She didn¡¯t know when that would be. She didn¡¯t even know if it was possible. Of course, the path was long and arduous. She still couldn¡¯t defeat a Titan on her own. But no matter how long and arduous the path, it could be walked. [ Skill, ¡®Jet Stream¡¯ acquired. ] [ Skill, ¡®Unsinkable Ship¡¯ acquired. ] [ Skill, ¡®Blue Bomb¡¯ acquired. ] ¡­ ¡­ Parang slowly defined herself. Not as the ¡®Daughter of the Kraken,¡¯ but as ¡®Yu Parang.¡¯ A blue current of water wrapped around her fist as she extended it backward. Creating a bubble and bursting it like this was the [Blue Bomb], a water bomb skill Parang frequently used. But instead of gathering the water, she wrapped it around her arm and spun it. More and more water, faster and faster. Eventually, a massive vortex formed around her arm. Parang extended her arm forward. Like a hero flying towards evil. Roarrrrrrr- The vortex showed no signs of shrinking and continued to grow. What was once confined to her arm now spread across her entire body, making Parang herself seem like a gigantic drill. The speed was, needless to say, tremendous. Roarrrrrrrrrr-!! She pierced through the Titan¡¯s forehead. Like a bullet. She drilled through the thickness from the forehead to the back of the head. Parang didn¡¯t stop there and pierced the Titan¡¯s head about twenty more times, like stitching, destroying eight cores in the process. Then she collapsed. Exhausted, she sank into the water, and Russell supported her, pulling her out of the battle. About 30 minutes later, Parang opened her eyes and saw the Titan, whose cores had been shattered, turning into light and disappearing. What remained was a massive yellow gemstone that served as its eyes and a magic stone with a radius of about 50 meters. Naturally, there was no trace of Alice. Titan, subjugation complete. Thousands of skeletal dolls appeared and collected the magic stone. They would bury it deep in the ocean. Bringing it to the surface would only cause more chaos. Money? Since when did they care about such things? The gemstone¡­ there was a special place for it. ¡°Diego, please take care of it.¡± The giant Diego grasped the gemstone in one hand and walked towards that place. The rest of Oceanos disbanded in turn. They returned home. # Parang¡¯s house, bedroom, aquarium. Parang lay there, her eyes wide open. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. It was because of the thoughts that inevitably surfaced on the days they captured a Titan. The Kraken and her skill, ¡®Daughter of the Kraken.¡¯ At first, she thought ¡®Daughter of the Kraken¡¯ was just a metaphorical expression. She believed the Kraken was merely a figurative analogy. In the original novel, there were plenty of personal skills related to non-existent entities, like ¡®Daughter of Hades¡¯ or ¡®Disciple of Black Tortoise.¡¯ But now, she vaguely sensed it. The Kraken truly existed, and in some way, she was ¡®actually¡¯ connected to it. There was no evidence. It was just something she felt instinctively, ¡®It seems that way.¡¯ Ironically, the lack of evidence was the strongest evidence for her hypothesis. It meant that this instinct came from somewhere deep inside her, without any external influence. Could it really be that Cthulhu or whatever she had read about on the internet in her past life? Countless thoughts rose and fell in Parang¡¯s mind. Thus, she spent the night wide awake. # Four days after the statue was subjugated, South Pacific. 48 degrees south latitude, 123 degrees west longitude. In technical terms, the oceanic pole of inaccessibility, commonly known as ¡®Point Nemo.¡¯ The loneliest sea, the most isolated sea, the quietest sea. The sea farthest from any land on Earth. Diego appeared there, holding the gemstone. In front of him was a peculiar structure, where house-sized blue gemstones were embedded in the ground in a circle, resembling Stonehenge. There were eight of them. Diego embedded the gemstone he brought into the ground, making it nine, and adjusted their positions slightly. Then he shrank. He walked into the center of the circle of embedded gemstones. The ground was covered with self-illuminating corals, and the light refracted through the gemstones, spreading beautifully in all directions. Step, step, halt. He stopped in the exact center of the circle and knelt on one knee in front of a stone slab. The surroundings were clean, indicating that others, including Parang, had already been there. Next to the stone slab was a glass orb that looked almost new. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a weapon Alice had used. Parang, who had last visited, had carefully cleaned it. Alice Melville, 1999. 3. 5. ¨C A tombstone without a date of death. Instead of an epitaph, four Chinese characters were inscribed below. ÂäÔÂÎÝÁº Falling Moon House Beam. It was a phrase expressing the longing for a precious friend. Diego took out some glowing corals and scattered them around the tombstone. In the deep sea, where even sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, the moonlight quietly fell. This is the last registered episode. Chapter 62: Interlude Chapter 62: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 62 Meanwhile, at the time when Parang and the Titan were engaged in a soul-baring duel. ¡°Alright~! That¡¯s it for today¡¯s broadcast! Tomorrow is a day off, and the day after tomorrow, we¡¯ll continue making it on stream.¡± S-Class crafting hunter, Shin Yuna. She was wrapping up her broadcast. ©¤If today¡¯s broadcast was fulfilling, hit like, lol ©¤I¡¯m Shin Yuna, and I hit like ©¤Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go ©¤Why is there no broadcast tomorrow??? ¡°Why is there no broadcast tomorrow? Ah, well¡­¡± ©¤Here she goes again, Shin Yuna¡¯s nonsense ©¤HEAD!!! BANGING!! ¡°Alright~! It was fun! See you next time!!!¡± Click. [ This broadcast has ended. ] ¡°Ugh¡­ stretch, stretch, stretch¡­¡± Shin Yuna stretched vigorously as she looked at the end-of-broadcast screen in front of her. She did some stretching and even some light exercises. Normally, her routine would be to open the community after ending the broadcast, but recently, she had developed a new hobby. ¡®Yes!! Time for a dive!!¡¯ It was diving. She explored the monster layer with an unmanned submarine she had built herself. Now that there was no risk of mental attacks, she had persistently obtained permission from Hunter Yu Parang, who was in a sulky mode outside the water. ¡°Here and here, and here, absolutely do not approach. Other than that, well¡­¡± However, the permission she obtained was not easily granted. She had sworn never to approach the areas marked by Parang, under the promise to keep everything she saw below a secret. It was more of a safety approval than permission, but anyway. With a submarine at her disposal and guidelines from Parang, there was nothing left to stop Yuna¡¯s desire to dive, which could even penetrate the oceanic crust. Yesterday, it got too late, and she could only dive for four hours. Today, she ended the broadcast early, fully prepared and bursting with anticipation. Without even glancing at the community, she quickly headed to the basement. Riding down in a Victorian-style elevator, she saw a door made of brass. Manipulating various round valves and levers on it¡ªturning, pulling, and pushing¡ªmade a clanking, rattling noise, and with a hiss of steam, the door opened. What appeared was a gigantic aquarium. Yuna, wearing a full-body decompression diving suit hung next to the door, waddled into the tank. Below was a brass chair and a desk-shaped controller for seated operation. Next to it, the unmanned submarine she had built herself was carefully placed. Thump. Yuna sat on the brass chair and pounded on fist-sized buttons, causing a giant monitor to rise from the floor and turn on. The screen displayed the inside of the aquarium she had just entered. It was a video transmitted from the unmanned submarine she had built. She placed her hands back on the controller, pressing, pulling, and turning various controls¡ªclank, click, rattle! As she manipulated the controls, one wall of the aquarium opened, revealing a passage, and the submarine began to move towards it. It was a passage directly connected to the sea. With a giant corporation backing an S-Class hunter, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t build. Vrrrrrrrrr- With the sound of the propeller turning, the submarine started its journey! Exiting the passage, it entered the East Sea and descended deeper and deeper. The surface layer had long been dismissed from her interest. Only, and solely, the monster layer captured Yuna¡¯s attention. Descending vertically, Yuna quickly reached a depth of 700 meters, the monster layer, ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö?? and finally encountered a monster fish. It was the first monster fish she met today. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t entirely true. She thought she saw something resembling a red handle along the way but decided to ignore it and move on. So, ¡®practically,¡¯ this was the first monster fish she encountered today. Coincidentally, the creature in front of her was none other than a Galecus. The detestable, ominous fish that had once driven her to the brink of death. Thinking about how close she came to dying still sent chills down her spine. So, Yuna embarked on a ruthless act of revenge. She meticulously examined the Galecus, from its scales to its fins. The weapons mounted on an unmanned submarine couldn¡¯t hunt monster fishs. Yuna desperately wanted to tear apart the Galecus, to strip its flesh from its bones, but the circumstances didn¡¯t allow it. Besides, observing rather than hunting suited her preferences. Thus, the relentless examination by the merciless monster fish magnifier, Shin Yuna, continued for a while. How much time had passed? Yuna¡¯s unmanned submarine had already descended to a depth of 1.2 kilometers. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The maximum depth it could reach was 2 kilometers, but for various reasons, Yuna never went below 1.5 kilometers. Partly to prepare for unforeseen circumstances, and for other reasons as well. Moreover, the deep sea she wanted to explore could be sufficiently experienced at around 1.5 kilometers. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is activated. ] ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ Yuna sighed as she hurriedly steered the submarine away from the monster fish¡¯s maw. Goosebumps covered her entire body, and her legs trembled. Seeing a small, beautiful, glowing fish, she approached it, only to find that the fish had vanished, leaving behind a massive anglerfish. The submarine she painstakingly built, staying up all night, almost ended up inside the anglerfish¡¯s mouth. Even putting aside the submarine issue, the experience Yuna just had was enough to send chills down her spine. In the deep, dark void, the only visible light disappeared, and suddenly a gigantic maw appeared before her. Inside the maw, it sounded as if people of all ages were screaming in agony, and eyes were densely packed on the roof of the mouth and the tongue. Adding to the horror, an alert window popped up, making the situation even more perfect in its terror. ¡°Gasp¡­ gasp¡­ haaa¡­¡± She felt like she could get addicted to this. Indeed, this woman was crazy. Anyway. Yuna steadied her breathing and was about to resume her exploration when she suddenly stopped. She had discovered something extremely unusual. It wasn¡¯t a monster fish, nor an object. Floating in the water, bubbling away¡ªwhat was that? Looking closely, she realized. ¡®A submarine¡­?¡¯ It was an unmanned submarine. Unlike the steampunk-style submarine Yuna had built, this one had a cybernetic vibe. A black body with red neon lights, a sleek diamond shape. It looked like a villain¡¯s ship from a sci-fi movie. Curious, Yuna examined the submarine from various angles. Seeing the camera follow her movements, it was clear that it was operational. ¡®Hmmm¡­¡¯ # Meanwhile. ¡°Uh¡­ Sir, you might want to take a look at this.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Hunter Association Fukuoka Branch, underground secret room. A young man in a suit poked his head out from behind a monitor and called his superior. What filled the screen he was looking at was a brass, steampunk-style submarine. It was Shin Yuna¡¯s. An unexpected encounter while secretly exploring the monster layer of the East Sea. At this point, it¡¯s necessary to trace back the fundamental reason for this meeting. After Parang appeared at the Hunter Association on August 4th. ¡°Well, we lost her. She suddenly jumped into the Han River¡­¡± Realizing that they had lost track of Yu Parang, Natsuko immediately searched for information about her. After all, a hunter summoned to the branch manager¡¯s office by Seo Sunwoo deserved that much attention. And the first thing Natsuko found when searching for Parang was, naturally, her broadcast. It was no coincidence that Natsuko ended up watching her broadcast clips¡ª And, of course, she came across information about monster fishs like Galecus and Brachium. Learning about what was in the deep sea, Natsuko¡¯s eyes lit up with the idea of sending someone into the depths¡­ but she didn¡¯t. For one thing, it was somewhat ambiguous. Sure, if she could hunt and absorb the monster fishs that had eaten many people, it would be a great benefit. But how could she do that? To achieve this, Natsuko would have to identify the specific monster fish to hunt, feed it people, and then track and hunt ¡®that exact creature.¡¯ In the vast ocean, it meant feeding and raising ¡®one specific fish¡¯ before catching and eating it. The absurdity of this plan doesn¡¯t need further explanation. Monster fishs aren¡¯t like fish that can be caught and raised for sashimi. Even if it were possible, would the effort to catch something like Galecus, Rassius, or Brachium be worth it? Natsuko was crazy, but not stupid. She could calculate the cost-benefit ratio to that extent. Unless there was a monster fish so immensely powerful that it was worth absorbing no matter the sacrifice, or an environment where she could confine the creature and ¡®farm¡¯ it by feeding it people, the deep sea was practically a wasteland for Natsuko. This was something that both Silo and Parang already knew. That¡¯s why they prioritized preventing Natsuko from approaching whatever had killed the Slayers. Still, Natsuko couldn¡¯t completely ignore this honey pot of a space, so she started by sending a submarine down to the monster layer bit by bit. And in the midst of this, she encountered Yuna in the East Sea. The reaction in the control room was naturally one of panic. It was like running into a tourist while on a secret mission in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Yuna was flustered, but for the Hunter Association, it was a situation that could make them faint. They couldn¡¯t just run away as Yuna kept following, and they couldn¡¯t just stand there in a standoff either. This situation was completely unanticipated, so they had no means to send a threat or warning message¡ªtruly a dilemma! Thus, the conclusion they reached was to shoot. Judging by the design, it didn¡¯t seem to be a submarine from Silo or the World Government; it looked like a privately made one, so they decided to just shoot it and cover up the incident. In the world of hunters, this was a reasonably accurate course of action. And so, bang, bang, bang. ¡°What? What?!! Hey!! Hey! Wait!!¡± In the aquarium, a flustered Yuna pounded on the dashboard. ¡°No, damn it!!! My submarine!!!!¡± Her scream echoed inside her full-body decompression diving suit. Chapter 63: Let There Be Light (1) Chapter 63: Let There Be Light (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 63 August 7, 2024, exactly 3 PM. Yu Parang Minor Gallery. The place was experiencing an unprecedented slump. Why? Because Parang wasn¡¯t streaming! A broadcast that should have started around 11 AM was still silent by 3 PM, driving everyone crazy. Moreover, there was no announcement. Even though she had made a clean comeback, she had a history of causing incidents. Usually, the Yu Parang Gallery, known for its unwavering positive stance towards her, was sharply divided by 3 PM between those who believed in waiting and those who said, ¡°I knew it.¡± Well, there¡¯s no fixed time, but she usually starts around 11 and comes on before 1. Isn¡¯t there a fan cafe or something with the broadcast schedule? ©¤Would there be? ? Why wouldn¡¯t there be, damn it ? This is the Yu Parang you chose¡­ ©¤(Open Your Eyes Con) The reason is because of a secret lesson with the monster fish Kyosooni¡­ The host, unable to find a suitable monster fish to show on today¡¯s broadcast, ended up going to Kyosooni¡­ Kyosooni said it was perfect timing and led her to his room on the opposite side of the lab¡­ [Read More] ©¤Dude. ©¤If you don¡¯t write more, your nickname will get a hate image ©¤Are you seriously insane? ©¤Kyosooni is streaming right now, damn it, I was startled ? Why is this guy even startled ©¤(Open Your Eyes Con) In this chaotic madness. (Hyperlink to Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast and a screenshot indicating the broadcast has started.) ©¤(Praise Con) ©¤(Open Your Eyes Con) ©¤(Praise Con) ©¤(Worship Con) ©¤(Open Your Eyes Con) With the signal from the admin, the savior appeared. # Dudududududu- The first thing viewers did upon entering Parang¡¯s broadcast was to be shocked. By now, it was almost routine. Dudududududu- Every time she started a broadcast, half of the chat was filled with question marks. ©¤Huh?? ©¤What???? ©¤No way, this is¡­ But this time, they had a genuine reason to be shocked. Dudududududu- Because this time, the place where Parang started her broadcast was, unbelievably, inside a helicopter. A helicopter flying over the sea with its door open. In the distance, there seemed to be a dragon flying around, as faint roars that made their hearts pound could be heard. The propeller noise was so loud that it pierced through and reached their eardrums. ©¤What the hell is this ©¤At least explain But no answer came. No matter how many times they asked, no matter how many minutes passed, Parang didn¡¯t respond. She just sat quietly at the edge of the helicopter, with the camera filming the sea. At first, the viewers thought she was tormenting them again, but then they realized something. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Come to think of it, this place¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t it outside? And when the viewers switched to a third-person view, they finally saw it. Parang¡¯s face, as red as a freshly harvested carrot. # ¡®Ah.¡¯ Parang¡¯s mind was in turmoil. Why did she start the broadcast from here? She should have just done it in the water. As mentioned before, Drake Hive was located in a very remote part of the sea. The nearest land was the southernmost tip of South America, where there were more penguins than people, and the closest warp station was on the Falkland Islands, 1000 km away from the Hive. So, to get to the Hive, one had to either swim 1000 km from the Falklands or use a boat or helicopter. Normally, she would swim, but she couldn¡¯t afford to be too late for the broadcast. So she took the fastest helicopter and flew over. Up to that point, everything was OK. Now, all she had to do was jump out of the helicopter, dive into the sea, and enter Drake Hive. But suddenly, she wanted to show the viewers her diving from the helicopter. Honestly, how could she resist broadcasting herself diving into the sea from a helicopter without any safety equipment? So she started the broadcast, but oh no. She was speechless. Except for her first broadcast, she had always started underwater and ended outside, so even she had become desensitized, leading to this mistake. Thus, she was in trouble! She tried to speak, but only a faint voice came out. Watching her, the chat was already in a festive mood. It felt like they had already won before the broadcast even started. Still, Yu Parang could be considered a professional broadcaster by now. (Not really.) She took a deep breath and tried to say something. ¡°Uh, um¡­ so¡­ today¡­ hyak!¡± She bit her tongue. Parang¡¯s face, already red, swelled up as if it were about to explode, turning crimson. Even the small hope that her voice might have been drowned out by the helicopter noise was shattered. The high-performance Silo speakers immediately canceled out the surrounding noise as soon as Parang opened her mouth, delivering her voice in ASMR-level clarity. ©¤It¡¯s a festival, damn it ©¤It¡¯s time for the heroes to clip this!! ©¤It was a festival. Parang buried her face in her hands, with only her beet-red ears hinting at her state. She stayed like that for about three minutes. Realizing she couldn¡¯t continue like this, Parang boldly stood up and prepared to dive. All she could think about was getting into the water. This kind of dive was something she could do with her eyes closed, so even in this state, it should be easy. She got into position and dived¡­ ©¤Got the recording, haha ©¤What?! ©¤A recording!! Parang hadn¡¯t anticipated that and tried to stop mid-dive to say, ¡°Delete that!!¡± but her voice came out as a faint whisper. To make matters worse, the sky was indifferent. Trying to stop suddenly, she stumbled and crashed! ¡°Ugh?!!¡± She landed on her butt on the helicopter floor and slid out, ejecting herself. ¡°I really hate you all!!!¡± Swoosh. She fell for about 30 seconds and then splashed into the water with a loud thud! She tried to act nonchalant by slapping her cheeks quickly amidst the bubbles, but the train had long since left the station. Initially, the viewers were alarmed, thinking, ¡°What???¡± as they watched Parang fall without a parachute, but seeing her alive and well in the water, they sighed in relief and resumed their teasing. ©¤¡¯DepressedWhenFoodIsTaken¡¯ has donated 5000 won! ¨C ¡°Skip!!! Skip!!!!!!¡± ©¤Boo ©¤Rock ©¤Close your eyes ©¤Rock ©¤Me ©¤¡¯DepressedWhenFoodIsTaken¡¯ has donated 40000 won! ¨C Parang tried to skip again but hesitated at the amount. She had always thought that staying silent after receiving a donation of over 10000 won felt like committing a crime. So she couldn¡¯t bring herself to skip it and hesitated. Meanwhile, the recorded voice file spilled out Parang¡¯s dark past. Unbeknownst to Parang, there was even a compilation of these on T-Tube. After a long while of fidgeting, Parang finally blocked the donations, and the proper broadcast began. ©¤But where is this place? ¡°It¡¯s the Drake Passage. The sea between South America and Antarctica.¡± ©¤No way, it¡¯s 17000 km away from Korea ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Saying so, Parang lowered the camera. It was something she always did, but the viewers¡¯ reactions were a bit different this time. ©¤Wow ©¤What¡¯s that? ©¤Looks like an monster fish ©¤What is that? In the far distance, something glowing could be seen below. It was so far away that it was barely visible, just enough to confirm that ¡°there¡¯s a light over there.¡± Nevertheless, the colors were quite vivid, and one could easily guess that it would be quite beautiful up close. The viewers¡¯ speculations varied. As the saying goes, even a dog can recite poetry after three years in a school, so the viewers who had been following Parang¡¯s broadcasts each offered reasonable opinions. ©¤Is it an object? ©¤Doesn¡¯t it look like a monster fish? But the viewers made one mistake: they didn¡¯t realize that in this sea, ¡°reason¡± didn¡¯t apply. ¡°That light you see over there is the Drake Hive.¡± The chat was immediately flooded with hooks. It made sense because the boundary of the abyssal layer was at 700 meters below sea level, and the Hive appeared at least 1.5 km down. And their current location? The surface. ¡°The Drake Hive appears about 2.5 km down from here. It¡¯s very beautiful, so it will be worth seeing.¡± So, she was saying that the lights of the Hive, submerged 2500 meters below, could be seen from the surface. Everyone marveled once again at the wonders of the deep sea. ¡°I¡¯m going to dive down.¡± Parang began to dive deeper and deeper. Chapter 64: Let There Be Light (2) Chapter 64: Let There Be Light (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 64 Parang continued to dive towards the Hive, deeper and deeper. The faint light grew brighter, clearer, and more distinct as she descended. At about 1 km down, it was so bright that it was hard to believe it was the deep sea. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing that it¡¯s in such a remote sea. If it were near the coast, the damage would have been unimaginable.¡± Saying this, Parang tapped on her phone, adjusting the camera settings. She lowered the brightness option to the minimum. The screen darkened instantly, and the once blinding light became faint again. ¡°This should make it easier for you to see. Your eyes are precious, after all.¡± ©¤She knows that Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Wow ©¤Good luck ¡°The person who just typed that, if you think it¡¯s you, do ¡®that.¡¯¡± After a moment of silence, a single chat message appeared. ©¤The sea is really dangerous. ©¤Hahahahahaha ©¤Lolololol ¡°Keep doing that until we reach the Hive.¡± Saying this, Parang took something out of a cartridge. It was a pair of sunglasses. Even Parang found it a bit challenging to endure the brightness of the Drake Hive with her bare eyes. A short visit wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but for a full-day exploration, it was a different story. As she unfolded and put on the sunglasses, the atmosphere changed dramatically. She wore a black bodysuit with blue neon accents, and various devices were attached to her arms, legs, and shoulders. With the sunglasses on, she looked like she had transitioned from some cyberpunk world. Parang, who already exuded a mysterious aura, looked even more so. Then she continued to dive deeper and deeper. The depth soon surpassed 2 km, and the viewers could roughly see the shape of the Drake Hive. There was no need to explain how it shattered their common sense once again. ¡°This is the Drake Hive. We call it the ¡®Cemetery.¡¯¡± Just as she said, the Drake Hive looked like a cemetery. It was covered with something green, which one could only imagine was claiming to be grass, laid out in a wide square, surrounded by a fence. It wasn¡¯t the familiar Korean-style graves but rather the appearance of a cemetery seen in American movies. However, the inside was a complete mess, as if someone had deliberately ransacked it or caused a riot. There wasn¡¯t a single properly erected tombstone or a properly buried coffin. The tombstones were twisted or uprooted and scattered haphazardly. Some were even planted upside down, and in one corner, there was a pile made entirely of stacked tombstones. The state of the coffins was even worse. Some were dug up and exposed on the surface, some were completely out of the ground and open, and some were stuck vertically or at an angle. And there were patterns spread all over the coffins, tombstones, and the ground. As if someone had cast a spell, bizarre, colorful patterns were etched into everything, glowing brightly. They looked like letters, drawings, or traces of something crawling, winding and sometimes straight patterns that illuminated the chaotic cemetery. As she got closer, she noticed the monster fishes. Eels poking their heads out from between the piles of tombstones, looking for food, unidentified fish going in and out of the coffins, and water snakes appearing and disappearing in the grass. A cemetery is usually a spooky place, but it is also a sacred space to honor the spirits of the dead. Seeing such a cemetery twisted so maliciously before their eyes, some viewers expressed their discomfort. This indicated just how dreadful the state of the cemetery was. ©¤No way, is this supposed to be beautiful? ©¤It¡¯s kind of unsettling Nevertheless, the colorful and brilliant light was indeed dazzlingly beautiful. A few viewers agreed with Parang¡¯s statement about its beauty. ©¤So what, it¡¯s not a real cemetery anyway ©¤I just think it¡¯s pretty. Parang continued to descend, eventually standing in front of the cemetery. Now, she had to find Marian¡¯s body here. Fortunately, the Drake Hive was one of the smaller Hives. Unlike the East Sea, which required a three-day search, this one could be explored in a single day. Of course, even though it was small, it was still a Hive. This meant she would need to spend the entire day exploring. The Drake Hive¡¯s area was about one-third the size of the Train Hive, approximately 13 square kilometers, roughly four and a half times the size of Yeouido. From above, it didn¡¯t seem that large, but standing in front of it, it certainly felt enormous. Each sarcophagus was as tall as a building. However, the viewers were more focused on something other than the overwhelming size of the Hive. ©¤So what is that? How is it glowing? They were fixated on the bizarre patterns engraved all over the Drake Hive. Now that Parang had descended to the ground, they could finally see the mysterious patterns up close. Upon closer inspection, the viewers concluded, ©¤What the hell is this ©¤How is this even possible? They had no idea. The viewers, who had expected the patterns to be luminescent moss or coral, were completely off the mark. And for good reason, as these patterns were not something that could naturally occur. The patterns were burning. The ground, sarcophagi, and tombstones were cracked like parched earth, and from within, sparks flew out with a crackling sound, as if real flames were burning inside. The confused viewers bombarded Parang with questions, but unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t answer them. Of course, she couldn¡¯t. Parang didn¡¯t know either. It was a mystery why the items in the Hive, known to be indestructible, were cracked. It was also a mystery what was burning inside them. In fact, it was even a mystery whether there was something burning or if it was actually burning at all. Oceanos had biologists but no geologists. So, they just accepted it as it was. Parang honestly said she didn¡¯t know either. The chat messages started coming in faster and faster. But Parang wasn¡¯t paying attention to the chat, which was unusual for her. She was looking at something else. # If something is glowing in the deep sea, look away. If you keep looking, something bad will definitely happen. This is a phrase that applies in almost all situations and is something Parang had told her viewers many times during her broadcasts. Not all monster fishes that attack the mind emit light, but all creatures that emit light can be assumed to attack the mind. So, if you see light in the deep sea, you should run away immediately. ¡°Just don¡¯t go to the deep sea. You know what I mean?¡± This phrase, which she always added at the end, was a template. One might think, ¡®Then, since the Drake Hive emits light on its own, is it a paradise for mind-attacking creatures?¡¯ Just as undead or ghost monsters appear in dungeons rich in yin energy, and golems appear in rocky areas. But that¡¯s not the case. In fact, there are hardly any mind-attacking creatures in the Drake Hive. This is due to the nature of the Hive itself. It¡¯s an environment where mind-attacking creatures find it hard to survive. Parang had explained this once during her broadcast. The tendency is even more pronounced in the Drake Hive. Why? It¡¯s due to the environment of the Hive, as explained countless times. Most of the mind attacks by monster fishes are conducted through light. And for a light-based mind attack to be effective, the target must be able to focus on the light. Think of the cases of Galecus and Yuna for an easy understanding. Now, imagine if Galecus were emitting light in the Drake Hive. There would be a critical problem with Galecus¡¯s attack. Why? Because the light wouldn¡¯t be visible. The powerful and dazzling surrounding light would completely overshadow the light from Galecus and other luminous creatures, making it impossible to distinguish whether they were emitting light or not. So, creatures that attack through light would have been devoured long ago, and the ecosystem of the Drake Hive is dominated by creatures that rely purely on their physical prowess. Or, creatures that can inflict tremendous mind attacks through means other than light. ¡®Hmm¡­¡­.¡¯ Parang quietly observed a grotesquely wriggling eel-like creature in the distance. The viewers didn¡¯t seem to notice, but Parang, who had lived among monster fishes for years, noticed immediately. That creature was currently under a spell. Judging by the symptoms, it had fallen victim to Crino. It was the same creature Parang had drawn and shown while interrogating the government agent, Hwang Dahye. If Crino was present, it would be difficult to continue the broadcast to the end. It was likely situated in the central area, so it seemed necessary to explore only the periphery and then end the broadcast. Parang fixed the camera to a first-person view. This was a measure to protect the viewers. ©¤Oh, why first-person view? ©¤No way The chat was, of course, in an uproar. Whenever Parang fixed the screen, it never led to a pleasant experience. But Parang didn¡¯t care. One day, they would realize her benevolence. If they didn¡¯t, it would be their loss. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you have a clear view.¡± Parang swam a bit higher, above the grass. For reference, this grass was 5 meters tall. Walking on the ground felt like taking a stroll through a forest. The occasional monster fish poking its head through the grass was a bonus. Anyway, the exploration began. Parang slowly crossed the archway and entered the Drake Hive. Chapter 65: Let There Be Light (3) Chapter 65: Let There Be Light (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 65 In general, the sea is as diverse in its environments as the land, and accordingly, the ecosystems within each sea vary greatly. Just as cod caught in the North Sea aren¡¯t found off the coast of Hawaii, and fish from Philippine coral reefs aren¡¯t caught in the East Sea. However, this doesn¡¯t apply to the monster layer. Familiar faces can be encountered anywhere on Earth, at any depth. Unless it¡¯s a special environment like an Object or a Hive. To draw a comparison, one could cite the monsters that emerge from gates. You can encounter goblins and orcs in the deserts of California or the jungles of the Amazon. And in special environments, like dungeons, you can find unique monsters along with goblins and orcs. Well, goblins and orcs that come out of gates are transported directly from their original habitats to Earth, so it¡¯s not strange to find them anywhere, and they often die quickly if they land in places like deserts. So, it¡¯s understandable that monsters like Bellua or Brachium are found all over the globe. But it¡¯s hard to understand when something that originally existed on Earth mutates into a monster fish. In these cases, it seems almost random. ¡°This is an example.¡± Parang tapped a 20-meter-long clownfish monster next to her. As something presumed to be food touched its body, it quickly closed its split belly to try to swallow Parang. Parang easily dodged it and inserted a harpoon vertically into the closing cut, continuing her explanation. ¡°As you know, clownfish live in the coral reefs of tropical seas. It¡¯s absurd for them to exist in the Drake Passage, which is classified as part of the Antarctic Ocean.¡± Moreover, clownfish typically live in shallow waters less than 100 meters deep. Since the monster layer starts at a depth of 700 meters, a ¡°clownfish monster swimming in the Drake Hive¡± shouldn¡¯t exist, logically speaking. ¡°But here it is, swimming right in front of us. Does this make you feel anything?¡± ©¤Uh¡­ ©¤It¡¯s really mysterious ©¤The sea is really dangerous, huh? ¡°Good job.¡± ©¤Haha, damn lol ¡°Continuing with the explanation, this monster pretends to be a corpse by splitting its belly and then eats the monsters that come to feed on its flesh. If you look inside here¡­¡± Parang grabbed both sides of the split belly and forcibly tore it open. Perhaps she tore it more than its limit, as black blood gushed out from inside. ©¤She¡¯s at it again¡­ ©¤Did you tear another monster apart, Parang? ¡°No, this is just how it is.¡± Parang was known for her habit of tearing and killing monster fishes. How could she know the exact limit of the clownfish monster¡¯s split? Vertea might know, but Parang was ignorant in this area, so such minor accidents happened quite frequently. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s broken¡­ Well, I did use it a lot.¡¯ This was how monster fishes were treated. Anyway, the slaughter broadcast continued in this manner. Whenever she encountered a new fish during her exploration, she would explain and then slaughter it. If it was a monster she didn¡¯t know, a live curiosity show would unfold. ¡°Gill or palate¡­ I want to split both, but I can¡¯t decide, so let¡¯s take a vote.¡± It was simple, but the viewers¡¯ reactions were overwhelmingly positive. If you had ever seen a tuna dissection show in real life, you could understand why this broadcast was strangely captivating. Moreover, this ¡°tuna¡± was tens of meters long. ¡®Tuna, huh¡­¡¯ Parang pondered the possibility of doing an monster fish mukbang as a special event. It was unlikely that Oceanos hadn¡¯t attempted to cook monster fishes during all this time. The distinction between edible and inedible monster fishes had become quite clear, and for some, there were even standardized preparation methods and recommended recipes available. ¡®I should try it if I get the chance.¡¯ Which monster fish should she prepare? And how should she cook it? Sashimi? Grilled? Steamed? The mere thought made her mouth water. Surprisingly, the tasty monster fishes were really delicious. Given their level of activity, their flesh was incomparably firmer and more umami-rich than that of ordinary fish¡­ ¡®Whoops.¡¯ Parang quickly refocused her mind, which had drifted to thoughts of a dining table. ¡®Stay alert. Stay alert.¡¯ Crino was inside the Hive. What would she do if she let her guard down like last time and was hit with another area-wide mental attack? Fortunately, Parang had learned from the Brachium Shock incident. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s time to wrap up the broadcast.¡¯ Parang was currently circling the square-shaped Hive from the outside, spiraling inward in her exploration to minimize the chances of encountering Crino at the center. And indeed, as she moved closer to the center, the number of monsters exhibiting strange behaviors increased. Unnatural and irregular movements. The number of monsters flailing aimlessly as if confused in place was growing exponentially. To the viewers, it might seem like ¡®Ah, another monster is just being a monster.¡¯ But Parang knew better. ¡®These monsters are not behaving normally at all.¡¯ She had even seen a water snake monster tie itself into knots earlier. ¡®Let¡¯s catch just one more and then end the broadcast.¡¯ Having made up her mind, Parang began searching for her last prey. ¡®That¡¯s the one I caught last time, and that one has no impact¡­¡¯ Parang had somehow incorporated broadcasting elements into her calculations. Previously, it was like a scary public service announcement, showing one monster fish and saying ¡°Don¡¯t go in.¡± Now, it had become a real ¡°broadcast.¡± Anyway, she spotted another monster. It was a type of shark-like fish, commonly referred to as a ¡°dolmok¡± or ¡°mulkogi¡± in Korean, which had mutated into a monster fish. The original dolmok was so bizarre that it could be called a ¡°deep-sea phobia inducer.¡± To be exact, it wasn¡¯t just grotesque, but rather a fish that existed at the boundary between life and non-life, giving off an unsettling feeling. The dolmok¡¯s grotesqueness came from its enormous mouth, which took up about 70% of its body length. When its mouth was closed, it looked like a normal shark, but when it opened its mouth, it resembled a giant pipe with eyes and a tail attached. Its unsettling appearance didn¡¯t match its relatively shallow habitat, and sometimes novice divers would be shocked to encounter a dolmok in the water, leading to accidents. However, like many fish with fearsome appearances, the dolmok was a harmless fish that fed on plankton. Its suction power when opening its mouth wasn¡¯t that strong either. The rumors about divers being sucked in and dying instantly were all false. Of course, that was the case for the dolmok. But when it mutated into a monster fish, the story changed completely. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how it changes.¡± Parang turned the camera towards the Hinus. It was no longer possible to call the Hinus a fish; it was unnecessary to explain how much it had changed. Its body was torn apart, as if someone had forcibly turned the fish¡¯s skin inside out and stuck it onto a wire mesh. The scales¡¯ color, which happened to be similar to human skin, only added to the grotesqueness. The degenerated eyes, which had lost their focus and only had white pupils, stared straight ahead, giving off an eerie feeling, like a corpse. The fins had also degenerated, with the tail fin missing and only the dorsal and anal fins remaining, barely clinging to their existence. Moreover, the violent suction power of the monster fish was a far cry from the harmless nature of the original fish. The Hinus was swimming just above the ground, or rather, the grass. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how it swims without fins in a bit. For now¡­¡± Parang knew what kind of impression the Hinus would make on first-time viewers, so she paused to let them observe quietly. The Hinus was sucking in the surrounding water with great force. The grass in its path was almost being uprooted and pulled towards its mouth, while small and large monster fishes were continuously being swept into its maw. Then, as if passing straight through its body, they were expelled from the rear, shredded into hundreds of pieces as if they had been ground by sharp blades. The crimson liquid continuously gushing out from the back of the Hinus needed no further explanation. Feeling that this was enough, Parang slowly approached the side of the Hinus. ¡°The Hinus has almost no fat or muscle. Just 10 centimeters below the skin, you reach the skeleton.¡± Considering that it was a 70-meter-long shark, it was almost as if the skeleton was right beneath the skin. To prove this, Parang inserted a harpoon into the Hinus¡¯s skin and lifted the flesh. ¡°See, there¡¯s the bone.¡± As she said, there was indeed a bone below, but it wasn¡¯t like a normal fish with ribs extending below the spine. ¡°The Hinus has only three bones in its entire body. The main cylindrical skeleton, the support, and the propeller.¡± In other words, this cylindrical body was made of a single solid bone. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t the form of a normal living monster. The chat messages started coming in faster. It was probably because Parang was deliberately not showing them what they wanted to see. ©¤ What does the front look like? ©¤ Show us the front shot ©¤ Damn, she won¡¯t show it unless we hit ¡®that¡¯ a certain number of times ©¤ Rock ©¤ Damn, the sea is really dangerous ©¤ Rock ©¤ Now No, Parang hadn¡¯t intended to tease them that much. She felt a bit awkward. It was probably because she got carried away and explained unnecessary details. ¡°No, I¡¯ll show you. Calm down. Why are you suddenly¡­¡± ©¤ Extreme ©¤ Wow ©¤ Damn, this is it ©¤ Extreme ¡°That¡¯s actually a good idea. I¡¯ll consider implementing it in the future.¡± The chat messages skyrocketed, as if piercing through the sky. Since it wasn¡¯t really Parang¡¯s concern, she lightly ignored the chat and moved to the front of the Hinus. ¡°Just to let you know in advance, you absolutely cannot try this. I can withstand it because I¡¯m me, but an ordinary person would be sucked in immediately.¡± ©¤ You don¡¯t have to tell us, damn ©¤ Like showing a nuclear test video and saying ¡®Don¡¯t try this at home¡¯ lol The inside of the Hinus was essentially completely hollow. You could see from the front through the mouth to the back. However, there was one foreign object in the center of the empty body. What the hell is that inside? Inside the Hinus, a propeller was spinning. And it was sharp, like the blade of a blender. The various monster fishes sucked into the Hinus¡¯s mouth were instantly shredded into pieces of meat as they passed through the propeller, and a few of them were being absorbed through a hole behind the propeller. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In other words, the Hinus was in the process of feeding. Strictly speaking, the Hinus was always in a state of feeding, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Parang stopped talking and blankly watched the scene for a moment. It was for dramatic effect. ¡®3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­¡¯ ¡°As you can see, this is how the Hinus feeds. The spinning propeller you see there is a bone that has evolved to be sharp. It grinds the prey to make it easier to consume and also serves to propel the Hinus.¡± Parang then moved to the rear of the Hinus. She was immediately covered in a multitude of blood, but she nonchalantly purified all of it. ¡°Now, if you look here, this is the support bone that keeps the propeller attached to the body. It¡¯s hollow on the inside and filled with nerve bundles. I¡¯ll cut it open for you.¡± ©¤ What? ©¤ Oh no¡­ Ignoring the reactions, Parang took out her harpoon and plunged it deeply into the support bone, then twisted it to create a hole. ¡°These thick things you see inside are all nerves. If we do this¡­¡± Snap, snap, snap. ¡°By cutting them like this, the propeller can no longer move.¡± Just as Parang said, after she cut through what appeared to be nerve bundles, the furiously spinning propeller came to a halt as if it had never been moving. ¡°If left like this, it won¡¯t be able to perform metabolic functions and will die on its own. Now, if you look at this propeller, you can see the muscle bundles over here¡­¡± Thus, by Parang¡¯s hand, another monster fish met a gruesome end today. If they had laws, Parang would have been an entity subject to immediate execution upon capture. ¡°Alright! That¡¯s it for today¡¯s broadcast. Do not go diving, and if you do, only during the day! Do not descend below 500 meters depth. Don¡¯t follow anything you see in the water, and also¡­¡± Regardless, today was another chaotic day. Parang¡¯s broadcast had come to an end once again. Chapter 66: Open Your Eyes. (1) Chapter 66: Open Your Eyes. (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 66 Author Note: (It¡¯s better to view this with a white background and black text.) ¡°Whooooaaa¡­¡­¡± Parang let out a deep sigh after ending the broadcast. Large and small water droplets emerged from her mouth, bubbling up. ¡®In the end, I have to face it, huh¡­¡­¡¯ It would have been great if Marian¡¯s corpse had appeared while she was exploring the Hive during the broadcast, but unfortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. Parang was currently located about 700 meters away from the center of the Hive. There was no wind, but the nearby grass was leaning in one direction. This meant she had entered the domain of Crino. Sea lily, or sea feather. It was named so because it resembled the Korean native flower, nari-kkot. In English, it¡¯s called a Feather starfish, directly translated to ¡°feather-attached starfish.¡± It got its name because it looked like a starfish with feathers attached. The sea lily also had many other nicknames. Sea broom, alien life form, what the hell is that, and so on¡­¡­ And, like many bizarre sea fishes, the sea lily was a gentle being that fed on plankton. It was also typical for its nature to change 180 degrees when it mutated into an monster fish. Crino was known as a top-tier predator among monster fishes that could attack mentally. Generally, monster fishes that were somewhat strong ¨C or rather, those that were ¡°somewhat¡± strong ¨C had some degree of immunity to mental attacks. It was only natural, as they all tried to mesmerize others with their flashy appearances in the deep sea, so they had to have some countermeasures. Some monster fishes have special lenses in their eyes, limit their field of vision, or even abandon their eyes and entrust their bodies to the flow of the water. Therefore, the sea is quite harsh on mentally attacking monster fishes, and as a result, they occupy the lower levels of the ecological pyramid. However, there is a limit to this, and if they can control their targets with brainwaves and eat them, they become extremely fearsome. Add a bit of physical strength to that, and their destructive power becomes unimaginable. And Crino is precisely that kind of monster fish. It has the strongest mental attacks in the ecosystem, quite strong physical strength, and the ability to survive and move quickly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It¡¯s a monster that has everything. Parang began to plan behind the tombstone, peeking out occasionally. If she looked carefully, she could see Crino¡¯s arms ¨C one, two, three¡­ all the way up to twenty. This meant it had been stationed here for over two months. Before the Slayers¡¯ ascension. It meant that Crino was there when Marian was transferred to the Hive. Crino controls the flow of water to attract various things around it. It¡¯s highly likely that it also attracted Marian¡¯s corpse. Even so, if it wasn¡¯t another monster fish but Crino that ate it, that would be a good thing. It would take a considerable amount of time to digest. Thinking about it, Parang was quite lucky. In the East Sea, Alexandra¡¯s corpse was stuck between the cans, making it possible to recover, and it seemed possible to recover Marian¡¯s corpse in the Drake Hive as well. In reality, if a human corpse fell into the sea, especially into the abyssal layer, it would be practically impossible to recover. Like Olivia¡¯s case in the Hong Kong Hive. After Parang¡¯s initial search, Xiao used a skull to search the entire Hive about three times, but Olivia¡¯s corpse was never found. It would drift in the sea, get eaten by a monster fish, and then that fish would get eaten by another, and if it encountered a monster fish like Hinus, the probability of recovering the corpse would become zero. Parang couldn¡¯t afford to miss this opportunity. ¡®Kraken can¡¯t be used.¡¯ If it accidentally absorbed Marian, she would have to stay awake for several days. ¡®Going inside¡­¡¯ She absolutely didn¡¯t want to do that. There had to be another way. ¡®Should I cut off all the arms first and then disassemble it?¡¯ This seemed like the best method. Everything about Crino¡ªits mental attacks, mobility, physical strength, and so on¡ªcame from its arms. They were the core organs, similar to the propeller of the Hinus. Just as the formidable Hinus would die if its neural network in the propeller was severed, Crino would also die if its arms were cut off. This was the standard method for dealing with Crino. The problem was that only six people in the world could execute this ¡®standard method.¡¯ And those six people were skilled enough to hunt Crino without having to cut off its arms. They could boil it whole, eat it, stomp on it, or even detonate a nuclear bomb¡­ among other methods. This was Parang¡¯s first time trying to capture Crino without the Kraken. To be honest, it seemed a bit fun. Maybe this was how experts felt when they cleared a game under challenging conditions. Having roughly formulated a plan, Parang swiftly dashed out from behind the tombstone. And then. Crino came into Parang¡¯s view. Its disc-shaped body was obscured by the numerous arms surrounding it. The twenty or so long, feather-like arms attached to its body swayed and wriggled, disturbing her vision and clouding her consciousness, and their movements were like¡­ ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ Her vision wavered, and she felt nauseous. Crino attacked mentally not with ¡®light¡¯ but with ¡®movement.¡¯ That was also the reason why it could survive in the Drake Hive. So, it¡¯s okay to look at photos or drawings of Crino, but not videos. Parang lowered her head for a moment, overwhelmed by the dizzying movements in front of her. She felt seasick. She felt like throwing up. What unfolded before her eyes was a moving festival, a dance of paradise, a heavy mirage. The entire space seemed to be swaying and drawing her towards Crino. Correction. It wasn¡¯t just seeming that way; it was actually happening. Crino moved its ten to thirty arms chaotically in the water, distorting the flow around it. The distorted water flow made Crino¡¯s movements even more prominent, increasing the intensity of its mental attacks, and eventually directing the water flow into its mouth, swallowing defenseless prey. For this reason, even Parang, who was completely immune to mental attacks, had to struggle when dealing with Crino. Crino¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t just cause ¡®mental damage from skills¡¯; they also involved physical effects. Parang, who could withstand even mental attacks underwater, had no way to deal with her vision being physically distorted. Still, being immune to mental attacks from skills, she only felt a bit dizzy. Given these circumstances, Parang and other Oceanos considered it best to attack Crino without looking at it. They would even turn around and call the Kraken. But given the current situation, there was no choice. Parang gritted her teeth and charged towards Crino. The surroundings became more grotesque as she approached it. Her vision wobbled like an edited filter, and the surrounding monster fishes either tied themselves in knots if they were long enough or intertwined with each other if they were short. Without her skills, Parang would have immediately tied herself up and been consumed by Crino in a state of ecstasy. Parang charged at Crino fiercely, with a bit of emotion. ¡®Why did it have to be you, making me go through this trouble?¡¯ she thought. Whether Crino understood Parang¡¯s feelings or not, it continued to wriggle. ¡°Uuuuaaaah!!!¡± With a loud ¡°Hah!¡± and a mighty roar, Parang swung her harpoon with all her might. Fundamentally, Crino was huge. So, no matter how hard Parang swung her harpoon, she could only knock off one arm at most. There were still nineteen arms, each about 200 meters long, wriggling and squirming around. And that¡¯s not all. Crino had incredible regenerative abilities. Like the monsters from ancient myths that would grow multiple heads or arms whenever they were injured, Crino¡¯s arms would also regenerate into two new ones whenever one was cut off. In ancient myths or modern media inspired by them, the solution to this problem was to cauterize the wound with fire, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t easy for Parang to start a fire underwater. With the mindset of ¡°if you don¡¯t have teeth, use your gums,¡± Parang used water droplets to create a massive explosion at the cut end. Surprisingly, this was a verified method. While it couldn¡¯t completely stop regeneration like cauterization, it could significantly slow it down. So, Parang continued to cut off Crino¡¯s arms one by one, and finally, she managed to remove all twenty of them. What was left was the pitifully wriggling stump and the disc-shaped body in the center. Parang carefully searched for Marian¡¯s corpse, slowly and cautiously cutting open Crino¡¯s belly with her harpoon. And there she was. The golden-haired beauty was sleeping peacefully, without a single scratch on her body. ¡°Thank goodness. She¡¯s still in good condition.¡± Just as Parang was about to lift her up and take her out of the water. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± How could she be in such good condition? Feeling a sense of unease, Parang quickly pulled back her hand that was about to lift Marian up. Suddenly. Marian¡¯s eyes opened. Chapter 67: Open Your Eyes. (2) Chapter 67: Open Your Eyes. (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 67 Marian Lindbergh. Her personal skill was . As Parang remembered, it was roughly this kind of skill. [ Mechanic Panic (S) ] [ You permanently gain the status ailment, ¡®Madness,¡¯ which cannot be dispelled. ] [ You receive a bonus to mechanical crafting. You possess the skill, ¡®Inventory.¡¯ ] This skill perfectly encapsulated the high-risk, high-reward principle of this world. The ultra-high risk of having to live forever in madness was indeed a risk, but the return was truly unbelievable. An Inventory skill, of all things. Yes, that Inventory. The insane skill that allows you to store items infinitely in a subspace and eject them at will. It¡¯s the unparalleled dream of every hunter in the world. In hunter stories, the difference between having and not having the ¡®Inventory¡¯ skill is like the difference between heaven and earth. That¡¯s how powerful the skill is. It¡¯s just incredibly difficult to obtain. Even the Slayers, let alone Hunter Han Siwoo, never managed to acquire the ¡®Inventory¡¯ skill. Extracting it with a scroll is practically impossible. According to the calculations in the story, about 80 liters of blood are needed. The point is, Marian is incredibly strong. With such a broken skill and having experienced numerous growth events alongside the Slayers, she was bound to be powerful. There are even opinions that if she fought with full preparation, she could win against Hunter Han Siwoo. Well, it wasn¡¯t particularly Parang¡¯s concern. What did Marian¡¯s strength have to do with her life? Screeeeeeech-!!! ¡®Crazy¡­!¡¯ It was related. Parang barely dodged the iron skewer that rushed at her with terrifying speed and let out a hollow laugh. Her mind was in turmoil. ¡®Why am I fighting for my life with this woman¡­?¡¯ # The incident goes back a bit. Flash- ¡°What the¡­!¡± As soon as Marian opened her eyes, Parang instinctively stepped back. Anyone would react that way if what they thought was a corpse suddenly opened its eyes. Her head was naturally filled with confusion. Why had Marian opened her eyes? Was this really Marian? What should she do¡­ and so on. It wasn¡¯t strange for questions to arise one after another like bamboo shoots after rain. Such an absurd situation was unfolding right before her eyes. Parang had a habit of desperately gathering information when faced with unfamiliar situations. So, she cautiously approached and began to carefully observe Marian. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. In this hunter world, ¡®eyes¡¯ held significant meaning. The most reliable way to determine if someone was possessed by something was to look into their eyes. And the eyes of Marian that Parang carefully observed were, ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Burning brightly with a vivid and deep purple color. Assuming the worst-case scenario, Parang went into combat mode. And, as soon as she readjusted her grip on the harpoon. Woooong- Screeeeeeech!!!! A dimensional gate opened right behind her head, and something was launched at a terrifying speed. ¡®Huh!!¡¯ Whoosh!! Parang twisted her body in an almost acrobatic manner to dodge it, then looked at Marian, who was now standing upright and staring at her expressionlessly. A railgun had appeared out of nowhere, floating beside Marian as if to guard her. It was the thing that had flown out of the dimensional gate that had just opened. A railgun underwater. How fitting for a protagonist to have such a wild ability. ¡®This is driving me crazy!!¡¯ Why! Why did such things only happen to her? Finding Marian was good. The fact that she was alive was a great advantage. But why! Why did she have to be possessed and attack her? Couldn¡¯t they meet in a state where they could just talk? And of all people, it had to be Marian. The strongest ¡®mechanic¡¯ of the Slayers. Of all the Slayers, she had the worst compatibility with Parang, and it had to be a one-on-one situation. Moreover, Parang couldn¡¯t even summon the Kraken, which accounted for about 99% of her power. No matter what, Parang needed to extract information from Marian. If she recklessly summoned the Kraken, Marian¡¯s mind could be irreversibly destroyed. So, in a series of unfortunate events, Parang¡¯s situation was this: She had to capture a hero who had saved the world and become a god, using only 1% of her power, and who had a bad compatibility with her. And she had to do it alone. It was enough to drive anyone mad. # A bit more time passed. Screeeeeeech-!!! Whiiing-!! Whiiing-!! Parang once again dodged the railguns rushing out of the dimensional gate with acrobatic movements, then immediately soared upwards to avoid the subsequent shots. The number of railguns floating around Marian had now exceeded ten. This meant that ten lasers were directly targeting Parang. ¡°Anchoring!!¡± Shuaaah- Bang!!! As the battle intensified, Parang involuntarily shouted the name of her skill. It was like a kind of battle cry. It was evidence that she was going through a tough time. Crack¡­ Pop! Pzzz¡­ The harpoon Parang threw flew straight and pierced through one of the railguns. This made it the twentieth railgun she had destroyed. ¡°Retrieve!!¡± Shuaaah-! Parang swam at lightning speed to change her position and retrieved the harpoon. Bang-! Pzzz¡­ Another railgun was destroyed by the returning harpoon. Now there were twelve railguns left. Screeeeeeech-!! Ah, now thirteen. It was enough to drive anyone mad. ¡®Find a way¡­ Find a way! Think, Yu Parang!!¡¯ The only consolation was that Marian was also not able to use her full strength. Given her combat style of pulling out machines or weapons from her inventory, she must have exhausted a significant portion of her arsenal during the battle in Hawaii. Even her ultimate weapon, ¡®Goliath,¡¯ was nowhere to be seen, and despite having over a thousand different armaments, only railguns were appearing. However, it was still overwhelming. After much deliberation, Parang came to a conclusion. Continuing a one-on-one fight with Marian posed too much risk. Unless Marian¡¯s mysterious mechanical bag ran out of items. And as far as Parang knew, Marian¡¯s mechanical bag had only run out once. In Chapter 2 of the original story, during her first encounter with Han Siwoo. That was when Marian was still an A-rank hunter. It was something that wouldn¡¯t happen in the current timeline, which was after the ending. The conclusion was that this couldn¡¯t go on. At the very least, she needed help from an external source. If that didn¡¯t work, she would have to take the gamble of summoning the Kraken. Considering the likelihood of success, it would be more accurate to call it a desperate move rather than a gamble. Parang snapped her fingers twice. She transmitted her camera feed through the internal line of Silo Corporation. In less than three seconds, a tingling sensation ran down the back of her neck. Parang tapped the earpiece she was wearing. A frantic voice came through the speaker. ¡°Is the person on the screen right now, is that Marian?!¡± It was the high-ranking male executive from Silo Corporation who had previously conversed with Parang. She didn¡¯t know he could sound like this. ¡°Yes.¡± Parang answered dryly. She didn¡¯t intend to sound that way, but it wasn¡¯t easy to focus on the conversation while fighting fifteen railguns that were solely targeting her. ¡°Anchoring!!¡± Crack!! ¡°My goodness, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s alive¡­ This, this is¡­!¡± The man¡¯s voice was trembling violently. He seemed genuinely shocked. If the situation allowed for more leisure, Parang might have played along, but unfortunately, the situation was urgent. A somewhat sharp remark slipped out. ¡°Okay, I get it, but can you help me out here?! If we mess up, one of us is going to die!!¡± Apparently, the high-ranking executive at Silo Corporation wasn¡¯t chosen by lottery. Despite the situation that would have raised a million questions above his head, he quickly made a decision. ¡°Ah, understood. You¡¯re at the Drake Hive, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Boom!! Seventeen railguns left. ¡°Can you bring Marian to the surface? We have a sedative that we used to administer when she went on a rampage. We¡¯ll drop it.¡± ¡®Ah!¡¯ Right, there was that. The sedative used to calm Marian down when she lost her sanity due to the status ailment ¡®Madness.¡¯ It was specifically made for Marian, so it was almost unconditionally effective for her. Strangely, Marian¡¯s madness was completely cured whenever she was near Hunter Han Siwoo, so this sedative was rarely used in the story. Nevertheless, if they had that, capturing Marian alive wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question. ¡°¡­Give me the coordinates.¡± Parang answered in a solemn voice. Understood. Hooo¡­ Alright, let¡¯s give it a try. She began to shoot straight up towards the surface. Twenty-four railguns and Marian fiercely chased after Parang. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 68: Interlude Chapter 68: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 68 Wooooong- Boom!!!! Crash!! A monster fish that was a bit away from Parang suddenly shattered into pieces from a laser beam. A 20-meter-long monster fish taken down in one shot. Even in a dire state, the protagonist is still the protagonist, or something like that. Parang carefully adjusted her speed. Marian¡¯s speed was slower than she had expected. She maintained an appropriate distance while keeping Marian within her sight. A catastrophe would occur if she lost track of Marian. Current depth, 700 meters. They had just exited the monster fish layer. ¡°We have dropped the items at your current location. The green one is an EMP round, and the white ampoule is the sedative. Injecting one syringe¡¯s worth should suffice.¡± Originally, Parang planned to focus solely on luring Marian without conversing with the man from Silo Corporation. Keeping her eyes forward, maintaining coordinates, watching Marian, removing obstacles, avoiding attacks¡­ Adding a strategy meeting on top of all that seemed overwhelming. The man from Silo Corporation seemed to understand and continued the briefing without waiting for Parang¡¯s response. However, ¡°EMP round?¡± This was something she couldn¡¯t help but ask about. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an EMP round. Detonating it will cause nearby machines to stop working for about five seconds.¡± ¡°No, but how¡­¡± ¡°It works.¡± Parang decided not to think too deeply about it. Well, sure. If you say so. Better than nothing, right? ¡°The dropped items have reached a depth of 100 meters. They should arrive in about a minute.¡± ¡°Anchoring!!¡± Boom. ¡°Retrieve!!¡± And then, after what felt like a year, the minute passed. ¡°Ah!!¡± Parang finally spotted a plastic box sinking from above. ¡°Haaa!!¡± With her eyes nearly rolling back, Parang charged straight at the box, broke it open, and retrieved the items inside. The metal pieces inside the box fell endlessly into the deep sea. What Parang managed to retrieve were a green sphere and three white syringes. Parang quickly wedged the syringes between her fingers and grabbed the EMP round. ¡°If you grip it tightly, the round will detonate, and the connection will be cut off. Good luck.¡± ¡°¡­Got it.¡± Crack!! Boom!!! Pzzz- Pzzzt!! A blue wave burst out from around Parang, causing Marian¡¯s railguns to simultaneously stop working and begin sinking into the sea. Sizzle- Sizzle- The earpiece seemed completely broken, emitting only noise. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Screeech! Parang, with maximum speed and a bit of emotion, charged at Marian. And then, ¡°Close your eyes!!!!¡± Thud. She jabbed the syringe into the back of Marian¡¯s neck and injected the liquid inside. Marian¡¯s struggling movements gradually slowed down until finally, she went limp, her body flopping like a dead fish. ¡°Huaaah¡­¡± Only then did Parang relax, taking a moment to catch her breath¡­ Gurgle-! Gurgle-!! Just as she was about to rest. Marian, who had lost consciousness, immediately showed signs of respiratory distress, forcing Parang to ascend to the surface. When she finally emerged above the water, a Silo Corporation ship, waiting at the designated spot, picked up both her and Marian and transported them to the Falkland Islands. After passing through the warp gate and returning home, it was August 8th, 4:30 a.m. Parang, without even changing her clothes, plunged into the water tank. She fell asleep as if she had fainted. # Meanwhile, at the same time, Shin Yuna. Creak- Clank- Clunk- ¡°Hehehe¡­ Hehehehe¡­!!¡± With disheveled hair and dark circles under her eyes. Eyes devoid of focus and a chilling madman¡¯s laughter. ¡°It¡¯s complete¡­ It¡¯s complete¡­¡± A Nautilus No. 3, twice as large as before, was crafted by her hands. ¡°Those bastards¡­ They¡¯re all dead¡­¡± Yuna rubbed her face against the brass body of the unmanned submarine with a happy expression, ¡°So¡­ sleepy¡­¡± and then she slid down and fell asleep. # Shivers- ¡®Suddenly, a chill¡­¡¯ Hunter Association Osaka Branch, Basement Level 5. Branch Manager Dazai Soseki unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck. Whether it was due to the overly intense indoor air conditioning or some other reason, he wasn¡¯t sure. For some reason, he kept wiping the cold sweat off his forehead with his hand as he brought his eyes to the electronic authentication device in front of him. ¨C Branch Manager, authorization confirmed. ¨C Beep- After a warning beep, the massive iron door opened with a clunk. What was revealed was a long corridor. Today, the corridor seemed even more eerie than usual. Moreover, thinking about his destination and the person waiting there¡­ ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ He shook his head vigorously to dispel his idle thoughts. Right. He was just going to report to his superior. The chill from earlier was probably just due to the air conditioning. It must be because his body had become weak after turning forty. His steps quickened involuntarily. # Thud, thud, thud. Similarly, in a room located in a corner of the Hunter Association Osaka Branch, Basement Level 5. ¡°¡­Come in.¡± Clunk- A middle-aged man with a protruding belly entered through the thick iron door, and a woman with a chilling aura stared at him before giving a faint smile. She tried to create a friendly atmosphere in her own way, but the Branch Manager who entered seemed even more anxious, not knowing where to direct his gaze. ¡°Please, have a seat. Thank you for your hard work until dawn.¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s nothing, haha¡­¡± Natsuko sighed quietly, making sure the Branch Manager couldn¡¯t hear. Being too charismatic could be a problem. If even her subordinates trembled as if facing a predator. Natsuko tried to put on the gentlest smile she could. She didn¡¯t want to be seen as a terrifying, monstrous person even by her subordinates. That could lead to betrayal. She approached the Branch Manager slowly, trying to convey with her entire body that she meant no harm, and sat down across from him. However, despite Natsuko¡¯s earnest efforts, the Branch Manager continued to tremble as if he were about to be devoured. His attempts to maintain a composed expression were almost pitiful. At this point, Natsuko decided to give up and send the Branch Manager away quickly. It wasn¡¯t that she had some uncontrollable skill that emitted a murderous aura. A Branch Manager of the Hunter Association should be unfazed by such things. So, the Branch Manager¡¯s barely concealed reaction was purely out of fear. Fear of Natsuko as a person. ¡®He¡¯s useless.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t be of much use for long. Natsuko reached out, took the file on the table, and spoke to the Branch Manager. ¡°You may go. You must be tired, so get some rest.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Yes!! Then, take care.¡± The Branch Manager fled the room as if he were escaping. ¡®Would a hiking accident be appropriate?¡¯ Natsuko elegantly and gently picked up the file and opened it. There was no point in hiding it. The file the Branch Manager had handed over was none other than the exploration report of the monster fish layer. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t expected much, but there was still no noteworthy information. The only thing somewhat worth noting was a monster fish called the ¡®Ghost Ship.¡¯ Natsuko rubbed her forehead. Should they really continue the exploration of the monster fish layer? Although it was still in the very early stages, the returns were significantly less than the costs incurred. ¡®¡­¡¯ Natsuko shook her head. Her animalistic intuition was telling her that there was something in the sea. It wasn¡¯t just anyone, but Seo Sunwoo who had shown interest in this place. There had to be something there. Seo Sunwoo, Seo Sunwoo, Seo Sunwoo. Just thinking about him gave her a headache. His mind was like a dark, murky waterway, impossible to fathom. Natsuko¡¯s suspicion of Seo Sunwoo was almost at the level of an obsession. It was because of something she had done long ago. She had done something unforgivable to Seo Sunwoo and hidden something that should not have been hidden. Her obsessive suspicion of Seo Sunwoo fundamentally stemmed from that point. Whether or not Seo Sunwoo had discovered what she had done that day. Natsuko still didn¡¯t know. That was why she had obsessively dug into Seo Sunwoo¡¯s information. The moment she caught even the slightest hint, she planned to kill him immediately. If Seo Sunwoo had been even slightly less competent, Natsuko would have killed him and buried him somewhere without the need for any investigation. And, as expected. Throughout all that time, Seo Sunwoo never once showed any sign that he knew anything about the incident that day. The scene from that day was still vivid in her mind. Na¡­tsuko? Why on earth¡­? Inside the burning, collapsing wooden building. The flaming furniture, the crumbling structure, the shouts from outside. And a woman looking at her in utter shock. An old friend, a comrade, and a childhood friend who had sworn to dedicate her life to him. Natsuko¡¯s long-time friend and Seo Sunwoo¡¯s other half. Inside the burning building, Natsuko¡­ She devoured her. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 69: There Is No Salvation Here (1) Chapter 69: There Is No Salvation Here (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 69 ¡°¡­Let¡¯s proceed with that.¡± ¡°Understood. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Ah, could you visit Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo sometime soon? He said there¡¯s something important to discuss.¡± ¡°You mean the one from the Hunter Association? Got it.¡± ¡°Yes. The exact date can be set by Hunter Yu Parang.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Click. ¡°Huuuu¡­¡± Parang let out a deep sigh as if the ground were sinking beneath her. For various reasons, she had been exhausted lately. She had to save the world, deal with the crazy woman from the Hunter Association, and the world government was targeting her. On top of that, she had kidnapped the protagonist of the original story yesterday. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t exactly a kidnapping, but still. Although she hadn¡¯t expected much, Silo had failed to restore Marian¡¯s mental state. This was something Parang had anticipated. Silo had been helpless with status ailments during the Brachium Shock, so it was no surprise they couldn¡¯t handle whatever had ensnared someone like Marian. Thus, Silo¡¯s conclusion was to put her to sleep for now. They planned to place her in the deepest, most secretive part of Silo and put her in cryogenic sleep, then thaw her out after some time to see if the status ailment had been lifted. Parang thought it was a reasonably logical conclusion. Permanent status ailments were extremely rare, so at most, it would last about six months. If, by bad luck, it showed no signs of lifting after that, they would have to find another solution. Other than that, the only thing Silo could do was extract skill information from her blood. In fact, this alone was an incredible technology. Before Silo¡¯s emergence, they didn¡¯t even know such information could be imprinted in blood. Apparently, they had started the work last night, as the file had already arrived on Parang¡¯s phone by the time she woke up this morning. Naturally, this matter was classified as top-secret, known only to Parang, Oceanos, and a few top executives at Silo. Anyway, Marian¡¯s issue was temporarily resolved. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good or bad thing. The fact that there was a survivor among the Slayers was excellent news, but ultimately, the most crucial ¡®memory¡¯ was completely lost. Moreover, bad news kept coming from the other Oceanos members who had gone to explore different hives. The only ones left were Elvira and Vertea. If they retired as well, it wouldn¡¯t be completely dark, but the brightness would significantly diminish. The only hopeful news was that the repair of ¡®Evidence¡¯ was almost complete. According to Silo¡¯s estimates, the repairs would be finished within a week at most. Parang sighed deeply again and sprawled on the sofa. ¡®Ah, should I check that out?¡¯ Parang tapped on her phone and selected a saved file. As expected, Marian¡¯s personal skills had changed just like Alexandra¡¯s. They had become more ambiguous, more incomprehensible, and filled with nonsensical, cryptic descriptions. Moreover, there was that risk. ¡®Targeted by living beings.¡¯ S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang had one question when she saw Alexandra¡¯s changed personal skills. was the part. It was clearly described as ¡®thing.¡¯ Not ¡®things.¡¯ At the time, she had moved on with a slight unease, but now, seeing Marian¡¯s skills, it was definitely suspicious. Whether it was ¡®thing not on the ground¡¯ or ¡®living being.¡¯ It seemed highly likely that these expressions referred to the same entity or at least two related entities. The problem was that she didn¡¯t know what it was. It couldn¡¯t be the pit the Slayers had fought in. That was embedded in the ground and wasn¡¯t alive. ¡®Or, was it that small monster fish from back then?¡¯ That peculiarly shaped, tiny monster fish. As soon as it was hit once, the speed of the monster fish had increased tremendously, causing the Slayers to struggle. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t on the ground and seemed alive. But, ¡®Didn¡¯t it seem too insignificant for that?¡¯ Could being hated and targeted by such a thing be a risk significant enough to be a part of an evolved skill from the Ascension Ritual? If it were being targeted by a Kraken, that would be more understandable. ¡®Ascension Ritual, huh.¡¯ Parang closed her eyes. Something about the deep sea was suspicious, but this Ascension Ritual was equally dubious. When she read the novel or before she knew about the Slayers¡¯ deaths, she had just thought, ¡®Oh, that¡¯s how it is,¡¯ and moved on. The idea of turning a person into a god through ascension was strange in itself. ¡®Could it be a trap set by something in the deep sea¡­?¡¯ ¡­Probably not. Or was it really not? In the original work, the ¡®Ascension Ritual¡¯ was a quest presented by the status window. Directly to Hunter Han Siwoo, no less. It was Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s personal skill. From to , it threw all sorts of quests at him. It felt like a solo quest, something like that. Anyway, the final quest his personal skill presented in the story was . The reward for clearing the previous quest, , was a scroll detailing the method of the Ascension Ritual. So Parang had never doubted the ¡®Ascension Ritual¡¯ much until now. No matter how much the original story had changed, it didn¡¯t seem like it had altered to the extent of tampering with Han Siwoo¡¯s status window. But given the current situation, Parang had to acknowledge it. There was definitely something behind the ¡®Ascension Ritual.¡¯ ¡®Do I have to uncover the secrets of the status window now¡­?¡¯ Parang pushed that topic to the far corner of her mind for now. It wasn¡¯t an issue she needed to worry about immediately, and she didn¡¯t think focusing on it would solve anything at the moment. There were many tasks that needed to be prioritized. She decided to handle them one by one, step by step. ¡®Yeah. Let¡¯s at least set up an appointment with the Branch Manager.¡¯ Just as Parang thought that and opened her phone, Ding! Ding! Two messages arrived simultaneously. One was from Vertea. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Parang knew well how hard Vertea had searched the hive. Because of her broadcast. Vertea had spent almost 60 hours exploring the hive while broadcasting. Sixty hours was enough time to circle the North Sea Hive nearly seven times. If she couldn¡¯t find it despite that effort, it really wasn¡¯t there. After sending a comforting message to Vertea, Parang checked the other message. Fortunately, this time it was good news. Parang packed her things at a speed rivaling a sailfish and dove into the sea. # Arctic Ocean. The coldest sea on Earth, covered entirely in ice. About 4 kilometers below the surface of the Arctic Ocean, you could find something protruding at a 30-degree angle on the slanted ground. If you looked closely, you would see that the end was pointed, getting thicker towards the back, with a bumpy top and a smooth bottom¡ª You would find the front part of a wooden sailing ship broken in half and embedded in the ground. Of course, this wasn¡¯t a shipwreck. The Arctic Ocean wasn¡¯t an environment where wooden ships could navigate. And most importantly, there had never been a wooden sailing ship of this size on Earth since the dawn of history. That¡¯s right. This was the Arctic Ocean Hive, known as the ¡®Dressing Room.¡¯ Why was it called the ¡®Dressing Room¡¯ instead of a ¡®Sailing Ship¡¯ or an ¡®Ark¡¯? Because it was literally a dressing room. If you were drawn inside by the warm yellow light seeping through the planks of the deck, the ship¡¯s shape would disappear, and you would find yourself in a dressing room filled with clothes. Inside, there were not only modern clothes like T-shirts and jeans but also plate armor, bike helmets, hanbok, jumpsuits, swimsuits, and even Nazi uniforms¡ªan assortment of mysterious garments. The warm yellow light from the overhead lamps gave a cozy feeling. Of course, that feeling would vanish instantly when you saw the monster fish peeking out from between the clothes, inside pockets, and under shoes. Anyway, the Oceanos members gathered there. It was less than three hours since Elvira¡¯s message. They were now gathered in the back pocket of the jeans. It was dark, not very spacious, and the atmosphere was extremely gloomy, but no one cared. They were focused solely on the corpse in front of them. Kang Yuri. A college classmate of Hunter Han Siwoo. The second member of the Slayers and Han Siwoo¡¯s first heroine. The Oceanos members surrounded her body with serious expressions. Although not as bad as Alexandra, Kang Yuri¡¯s condition was also poor. Her clothes were torn in places, and her body was covered with stab and slash wounds. Moreover, there was a slightly burnt mark on her left shoulder. This showed how tough a time she had gone through. Especially considering her role as a close-combat fighter and tank. A burnt mark? Was it from a monster fish? We¡¯ll see. Let¡¯s begin. ¡­Alright. Everyone closed their eyes, Dive. With Xiao¡¯s solemn voice, their consciousnesses plunged deeply into the depths. Chapter 70: There Is No Salvation Here (2) Chapter 70: There Is No Salvation Here (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 70 Author Note: (We recommend viewing this in page viewer mode rather than scrolling.) Author Note: (It might strain your eyes a bit. Please view it in a well-lit area.) Boom-!!! ¡°Argh!! Damn it! What is this?!¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly screaming and freaking out?¡± Elvira asked curtly in response to Russell¡¯s shout. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand Russell¡¯s reaction. Anyone would be startled if they opened their eyes to see flames bursting out with a fierce explosion right in front of them. Indeed, the first memory Parang and Oceanos witnessed after diving was an explosion. Flames erupting before their eyes, a blast that seemed to shake the entire sea. And there was someone calmly watching the torrent of heat that seemed intent on burning everything in its path. A knight clad in brilliantly shining white plate armor, holding a shield in the left hand and a lance over 2 meters long in the right. With long brown hair flowing, she stood nobly, watching the explosion. It was Slayer, Kang Yuri. ¡°¡­How long ago is this footage?¡± ¡°¡­Forty minutes ago.¡± Parang asked, a bit surprised. ¡°Forty minutes? Why is it so short?¡± Forty minutes was extremely short. Although her body had many wounds, there were no severed limbs or major head injuries. Considering the case of Matilda, who was absorbed by the Gorgon and left in a miserable state with only her head barely intact, which they saw at the South China Sea Hive, this was an unusually short time. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. She might look fine on the outside but could be full of internal injuries.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just keep watching. I don¡¯t understand this situation at all. What¡¯s with the sudden explosion?¡± This part was equally puzzling. Among the thousands of monster fish Oceanos had captured so far, not a single one had ever exploded while spewing fire. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll play it back.¡± The paused memory began to flow again. The flames subsided. There was nothing in front of Kang Yuri. Just an empty space filled with water, as always. ¡®A self-destructing monster fish?¡¯ Many thoughts crossed Parang¡¯s mind, but they soon vanished. Because shortly after, they could directly see the cause of the explosion. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t an explosion caused by a monster fish. Rumble¡ª Crash¡ª!! What Oceanos had thought was an empty space began to slowly collapse. It wasn¡¯t that there was nothing in front of Kang Yuri. It was a large hole in something. A gigantic humanoid mecha about 300 meters in size. Marian¡¯s ultimate and strongest, most fearsome machine, created with her life on the line. The Great War Machine Goliath. A giant of steel that seemed barely capable of supporting its own weight. In its chest. Kang Yuri had made a hole. A very large hole. Goliath slowly toppled backward, Rumble¡ª!!!! It lay on the ground. A colossal roar that shook the entire area. Anyone could tell. Kang Yuri had destroyed Goliath. Marian¡¯s ultimate weapon, with her own hands. Parang recalled Marian attacking her recklessly. ¡®Was she already possessed at this point?¡¯ And as if to prove Parang¡¯s thought correct, a shout was heard from afar. ¡°¡­Rian!! Snap¡­ out of it!!¡± It was Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s voice. Fortunately for Oceanos, despite her injured body, Kang Yuri headed towards Han Siwoo to help him. And the scene everyone expected unfolded before their eyes. With her eyes glowing purple, Marian was unleashing all her weapons at Han Siwoo, And Han Siwoo was blocking all of them while shouting at Marian. ¡°Please, please come to your senses!! Damn it!!!¡± Even as dozens of railguns targeted him and fired lasers, he deflected all the attacks. It seemed that only these three were left. The battered Kang Yuri, Han Siwoo, and Marian. There was nothing else. Leaving behind that lonely, strange, and also sad scene, Oceanos finally had the chance to look around. Kang Yuri was the second to last. In other words, she transferred to the hive just before Marian did. Considering her death was 40 minutes ago, the battle was already nearing its end. The surroundings were definitely different from Alexandra¡¯s case. First of all, there was something that all of Oceanos, including Parang, had felt since the dive began. ¡°Am I the only one feeling extremely weird right now?¡± Russell spoke in a voice that was unusually subdued and utterly gloomy. ¡°¡­I feel the same.¡± Voices of agreement erupted from various places. Parang, of course, felt it too. Depressed. Gloomy. Anxious. Scared. Sad. Whether it was because they were witnessing the Slayers¡¯ final moments or due to some other factor. The vast, deep, dark sea surrounding them now seemed particularly, endlessly somber and gloomy. It was unpleasant. For the first time in her life, Parang felt ¡®dislike¡¯ towards the sea. The surrounding atmosphere was so creepy that it sent shivers down her spine. Endless emptiness, futility, despondency, and all sorts of negative emotions were flooding in. Secondly, the swarms of monster fish that had been covering the surroundings in black had completely disappeared. They quickly found out where they had gone. Upwards and downwards. Numerous monster fish, presumed to have been sliced by the Slayers, were floating above them, And the remains of statues, presumed to have been destroyed by them, were piled up like a mountain below. ¡°Could it be that they¡­ killed them all?¡± ¡°¡­It seems so.¡± Parang swallowed hard and spoke. There was no other entity around that could have massacred the monster fish, and more importantly, Kang Yuri¡¯s condition clearly showed she had gone through intense combat. First, the state of her armor. She hadn¡¯t noticed earlier due to the explosion, but its condition was quite miserable. The left shoulder guard was completely destroyed and missing, revealing a burnt mark on her shoulder. Not just the shoulder, but her legs, arms, and chest¡ªall parts were either broken or damaged without a single intact area. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­ ugh¡­¡± Kang Yuri panted heavily, clutching her left shoulder. It was where the burn mark was. ¡°It¡¯s a burn wound. Most likely¡­¡± ¡°Marian¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Did they really¡­ kill them all¡­ all of them¡­?¡± Verteia muttered in disbelief. Parang also found it hard to believe. She had seen it in Alexandra¡¯s last memory. The sight of countless monsters moving with terrifying precision. Even after sweeping away thousands, tens of thousands of monster fish at once, the endless army showed no signs of diminishing. They had all seen it. But the Slayers had done it. They had swept them all away and stood there. And such a sight only brought more questions to Oceanos. ¡°¡­How many minutes before death?¡± ¡°Thirty minutes.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Parang spoke with difficulty. The wave of negative emotions she had been feeling since earlier was now almost unbearable. The Slayers had, in any case, won. Marian¡¯s condition was abnormal, and Kang Yuri and Han Siwoo were in shambles, but they were still standing there. But why? What exactly had happened to them? The question lingered. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Elvira spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°That thing, I¡¯m not the only one seeing it, right?¡± Her voice, usually so confident, was now quivering. And all of Oceanos was seeing it. The culmination of all the negative emotions they had been feeling. The source. The embodiment of all corruption. Something far away, watching them. But its eyes were closed. A round catastrophe. A large, spherical entity. What Kang Yuri was looking at. What was looking at Kang Yuri. It. Its eyes. Opened. ¡°Ugh!! Gah!! Huff¡­!!¡± Parang panted heavily. What was that just now? ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ What just¡­?¡± Not only Parang, but everyone seemed to have experienced the phenomenon just now. Voices complaining of headaches and dizziness were heard from all around. It was still watching them from afar. Eyes. Eyes. ¡°It opened its eyes¡­¡± Parang whispered unconsciously. Who she was speaking to was unclear. It could have been to herself, to that thing, or just mindless babble thrown into the void. That thing is what the status window referred to as the living entity that is not on the ground. That thing killed the Slayers. That thing bewitched Marian. That thing is the ultimate enemy we must fight. So, it said. The thing rolled its eyeballs grotesquely. Wobbling, wobbling around. For that moment, no one moved. Nothing moved. Not Han Siwoo, not Kang Yuri, and not Marian. Everyone just watched the eyeball wobble. Then, abruptly. The thing stared straight at Kang Yuri. A notification window appeared in front of her. Kang Yuri struggled to grip her lance. ¡°Siwoo, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Her hand was trembling violently. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead¡­¡± She calmly activated the warp device. ¡°I love you.¡± With her vision blurring and a white light filling her view as the last thing she saw. Kang Yuri¡¯s consciousness faded. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 72: Interlude (1) Chapter 72: Interlude (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¨C 72 As evening approached, numerous discussions took place inside Elvira¡¯s bunker. With Xiao waking up and Vertea joining the conversation midway, the discussion became more thorough. Of course, the eyeball dominated the conversation, but it wasn¡¯t the only thing they saw in there, so other topics were actively discussed as well. For example, Kang Yuri¡¯s skill. Waterproof Sanity. Despite its devastating performance, the acquisition conditions were surprisingly simple. Naturally, simple doesn¡¯t mean easy. Regardless of which of the three paths, excluding the scroll, Kang Yuri¡¯s mind must have been completely shattered at least once¡­ Various hypotheses were exchanged regarding this. The most likely theory was that she was affected by the eyeball. Since it wasn¡¯t about defeating or escaping, the remaining option was restoring her sanity. However, ¡°Then, does that mean there was someone there who could maintain their sanity after seeing that, and restore a shattered mind?¡± There were indeed hunters in the Slayers specialized in healing or purification, but none capable of standing against a monster that could break the system window. ¡°Maybe Hunter Han Siwoo did it.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Regardless of his abilities, it doesn¡¯t explain Marian¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ also true.¡± Then the remaining possibility is that Kang Yuri¡¯s mind had already been shattered before that entity began its activity. ¡°Could there be a monster capable of that?¡± ¡°Who knows¡­¡± The second possibility is that among the countless monsters, there was one capable of shattering Kang Yuri¡¯s mind, and after many twists and turns, Kang Yuri, whose mind was shattered, managed to defeat that monster. In this case, acquiring Waterproof Sanity would automatically restore her mind. However, there¡¯s a minor issue: Oceanos knows of no monster capable of completely shattering the mind of someone as strong as Kang Yuri. It is indeed a minor issue. Even now, about five new types of monsters appear daily. Just because Oceanos doesn¡¯t know of it doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist, so attributing it to an undiscovered monster seems plausible. Other discussions included Kang Yuri¡¯s body, Marian¡¯s potential for recovery, the next hive exploration schedule, and future plans. # And then, at night. Parang lay on her bed and quietly closed her eyes. ¡°Preparation¡­¡± Preparation to defeat that gigantic eyeball. It was the most urgent need for Oceanos. There aren¡¯t as many ways for hunters to grow stronger in this world as one might think. Due to their nature, the options available to Parang and her comrades are even fewer. The novel Parang reincarnated into doesn¡¯t have the typical ¡°status¡± elements like HP Lv, Strength Lv, Agility Lv, Skill Lv, and so on. The commonly mentioned calculations of physical stats don¡¯t exist in this world. Moreover, skill enhancement is also impossible. Once you acquire Waterproof Sanity, that¡¯s it. The skill doesn¡¯t get stronger by leveling up to Lv2, Lv3, and so on. As a result, the ways to become stronger are limited. Hunters grow stronger by acquiring new skills or increasing the proficiency of existing ones. For Oceanos, who has already reached the pinnacle, both paths are difficult to pursue. Skills aren¡¯t something you can acquire endlessly just because you want to. Waterproof Sanity is a good example. Once acquired, it comes with a powerful restriction that prevents you from even looking at other mental barrier skills. In this world, there are tens or hundreds of thousands of skills that conflict with each other in such a way. And for those who have reached the pinnacle in a specific field, like Oceanos, they have already fine-tuned their skills to the maximum possible limit to ensure they don¡¯t collapse. Such hunters are often referred to as ¡°complete¡± by the public. As for skill proficiency, well¡­ They¡¯ve almost reached the peak. For instance, the chain explosion of water droplets that Parang occasionally uses. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It¡¯s a combination of no less than three hunter skills. All members of Oceanos possess this level of skill utilization. So, this path is also a pass. The last remaining options are ¡°equipment¡± and ¡°items.¡± These are the most popular methods for powering up, offering the highest potential and serving as the main route for growth. While skill-related growth has a ¡°maximum limit,¡± equipment does not. The output of all equipment used by hunters is fundamentally determined by ¡°how much magic stone is grounded into it.¡± If the quality and size of the magic stones are good, the quality of the weapon will naturally increase dramatically. In theory, if enough magic stones are grounded into it, one could create a weapon capable of splitting the Earth in a single strike. This is often parodied in the hunter industry with a reference to Archimedes¡¯ famous statement, ¡°Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world,¡± to discuss the limitless potential of equipment. The reason why the importance of equipment has become so exaggerated in this world is simple¡­ Why else? Because the protagonist, Hunter Han Siwoo, is a ¡°crafting¡± hunter. Well, in any case¡­ In short, at the point where Oceanos decided they needed to become stronger, the only viable method left for them was equipment. If they excluded that¡­ ¡°¡­No, let¡¯s put that on hold.¡± Parang shook her head. She would consider it only in the very last, desperate moment, but it wasn¡¯t something to discuss now. ¡°Anyway, equipment.¡± There are three essential elements for making equipment: materials, magic stones, and the craftsman. The higher the quality of the equipment they aimed to create, the exponentially harder it became to secure these three elements. Fortunately, Oceanos had already solved the magic stone problem. They had tens of thousands of tons of usable magic stones piled up in the ocean. Securing materials was also relatively easy. Just 3 kilometers down, there were top-grade materials fresh and ready, like dragon jaws swinging in all directions. So, the remaining issue was the craftsman. This was the most problematic part. Was there a craftsman capable of creating equipment strong enough to defeat the ¡°being¡± they saw in their memories? Parang fell into deep contemplation. # ¡°Achoo!!!¡± Shin Yuna rubbed her nose in her workshop. ¡°Ugh, did I set the air conditioning too high¡­?¡± It could also be because she was so engrossed in her work that her body had weakened. But! For Yuna, her body was something she could always sacrifice! ¡°Hehe¡­ Hehehehe¡­!!¡± She let out a dazed laugh and took three steps back. In front of her was an unmanned submarine suspended in mid-air. Its sleek, streamlined body. The enchanting brass color. The lavishly decorated, albeit functionless, valves and pipes. A traditional cannon barrel that looked at least 2 meters long, along with gears that served no particular function. Her meticulously crafted masterpiece, , was ready to set sail. Although the launch was slightly delayed because she collapsed right after its completion and had to recuperate in bed, nevertheless!! Finally being able to venture into the sea was indeed a cause for celebration! With a broad grin, Yuna stepped back and grabbed the lever installed on the wall with both hands, pulling it down with all her might. Then, with a loud rumble and clatter, the heavy steel began to move noisily, and the floor started to open. The floor split in half, revealing the rippling water below. It was the East Sea. Yuna then swiftly turned the gas valve next to the lever and pressed the buttons. With a series of metallic clicks and clanks, Thunk-! The submarine¡¯s suspension was released, and it plummeted downward. With a grand splash, the submarine sank beneath the surface. Having confirmed this, Yuna hurriedly rushed to the old tank room. She donned a full-body pressure diving suit and entered the water. A desk-shaped control panel, now twice as large as before, greeted her. As she banged on the control panel, a screen twice as large as before rose from the tank¡¯s bottom. Just as the submarine had grown larger, the control panel had grown larger, and so had the screen. The flame ignited in Yuna¡¯s heart at this moment was larger, hotter, and fiercer than ever before. The screen finally lit up, and the control panel synchronized with the submarine. In response to Yuna¡¯s manipulation, the submarine slowly began to move forward. What spread like wildfire within Yuna was determination. Since the broadcast, she hadn¡¯t had a proper night¡¯s sleep. The calm before the storm. ¡°You¡¯re all dead¡­!!!¡± Yuna¡¯s justified anger was about to sweep over the Hunter Association. Chapter 73: Interlude (2) Chapter 73: Interlude (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Tap, tap-tap-tap. Click, click. Dawn. In a silent office without even windows, only the timid sounds of keyboards being tapped and mice clicking float aimlessly through the air. There are fifty-three people there. Fifty men in suits sitting in front of monitors, one who appears to be their superior, and two guards watching the door. Four in the morning. While ordinary office workers would be enjoying sweet sleep in comfortable beds, preparing for tomorrow, They are not. Because they¡¯re not ordinary office workers. No ordinary office worker receives video feeds from submarines in the East Sea in a basement at four in the morning. However, despite watching gloomy deep-sea footage where anything could pop out at any moment, in a windowless basement, for days on end in the early hours, their expressions were surprisingly fine. No, more than fine ¨C quite bright, actually. Firstly, because they weren¡¯t particularly tired. Instead of working at four in the morning, they slept when others worked. Secondly, well. ¡°Hehe¡­ hehehe¡­!!¡± An unidentified, silly laugh filled the office. They must have been checking their bank account balance. It¡¯s one of the ways these people motivate themselves. Those who knew that this hefty pay included hazard pay due to their fervent viewing of Blue¡¯s broadcast hastily backed out, but well. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Anyway. The reason they gather in the Hunter Association¡¯s underground chamber at this ungodly hour to stare intently at monitors is obvious. To explore the deep sea, specifically the East Sea. The reason for choosing the time spanning from late night to dawn is to minimize the chances of encountering Blue. It¡¯s not like they want to be doing this creepy stuff at dawn. In seas where Oceanos is less active, like the center of the Indian Ocean, the east coast of Africa, or around Australia, Hunter Association submarines openly cruise even during the day. The Association President valued the deep sea much higher than Silo had initially anticipated. Basic level exploration is already underway in all seas except the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. Surprisingly, the exploration is going smoothly. As Natsuko predicted, the deep sea is truly teeming with monsters, to the point where you could say it¡¯s half water, half fish. Although combat-related data is non-existent due to the submarines¡¯ limited capabilities, observational data is steadily accumulating. Moreover, they are the Hunter Association after all. Being far ahead of the World Government or Silo in terms of information related to monsters and gates, they could push forward with such exploration even more vigorously. If there¡¯s a minor issue, it¡¯s that the performance in the East Sea, one of the most important exploration areas, is quite unsatisfactory. While data and observational materials are pouring out abundantly from other seas, the data collection rate is notably low only in the East Sea. ¡°Aaargh!! S-shit, that scared me. Huff¡­¡± One of the men sitting in the office jumped out of his chair as if he was about to break through the ceiling. The monitor at his seat displayed a blood-red screen. The submarine had been destroyed, attacked by a monster that had been hiding its body. His superior approached him indifferently and helped him up. ¡°Ah, thank you, Section Chief.¡± This is the reason for the low success rate of exploration in the East Sea. There are far too many dangerous monsters. With the world¡¯s third-largest hive sleeping in that narrow sea, there are truly more monsters than water. So they often fall victim to surprise attacks, and fundamentally, monsters look creepy. To draw an analogy, it¡¯s like playing a horror game full of jump scares. A colleague looked mockingly at the man sprawled ungracefully on the floor. Then, turning his gaze to his own monitor, ¡®Huh?¡¯ A body made of brass, with gears, levers, and an old-fashioned gun barrel. Isn¡¯t that a submarine that looks like it just jumped out of the Victorian era floating right in front of him? It¡¯s too bizarre-looking to be a monster, but too small to be an object. ¡®No, why is something like this here¡­.¡¯ No, come to think of it, this might be the only place for something like this. The man, momentarily confused, decides to follow the manual for now. Maintaining a safe distance, he slowly approaches, turns on the precision detection camera, and¡­ Bang!!! Just as he¡¯s about to observe, a huge explosive sound erupts as flames burst from the massive old-fashioned gun barrel. Startled, he quickly turns the body, but the submarine must have already been destroyed as only static noise fills the screen. ¡®Ah, damn it¡­¡¯ As if accustomed to it, he grabs a sheet of paper from the mountain of documents piled beside him and starts filling it out. It¡¯s a damage report form. ¡®Reason¡­ Monster, water pressure¡­ hmm¡­¡¯ Monster¡­ is that right? The man checks the ¡®Unknown¡¯ box for now. After meticulously recording the characteristics of the submarine he saw in the detailed information section, he trudges over to his superior to submit the report. As the superior carefully but somewhat indifferently reads through the report, the image of a submarine he¡¯d seen somewhere flashes through his mind with an ¡®Oh?¡¯ His expression quickly turns serious as he calls five submarines closest to the damaged coordinates, instructing them to move to that location, observe the target, and engage in combat if necessary. And so, an untimely battle broke out at the bottom of the sea, Bang- Kaboom!! ¡°Aaaaargh!!! Shiiiiiiit!!!!!¡± Yuna¡¯s Nautilus 3 sank gloriously to the ocean floor after sinking 23 Hunter Association submarines, And Silo received three phone calls. # The next morning. Seoul Branch of the Association, Branch Director¡¯s office. ¡°Alright, go ahead. Let¡¯s grab a drink later. Good work.¡± Seo Sunwoo casually put down his phone after finishing a routine call with a friend, as he always did. ¡®The wiretap device¡­¡¯ His gaze turned to the potted plant on his desk, and stopped on the faint green light glowing amidst the lush moss. ¡®It¡¯s working properly.¡¯ He quietly brewed tea while recalling the contents of the call. ¡®In four days¡­¡¯ Four days. In four days, the repairs on ¡®Evidence¡¯ will be completed. ¡®It¡¯s finally time to sever our long-standing ill-fated relationship.¡¯ This time, his gaze settled on a small frame on the desk. It was a photo of three high school students in uniforms. On the left was his face, on the right was Natsuko¡¯s face. The face in the middle was obscured by reflected sunlight. The people in the photo were smiling brightly, as if something had made them incredibly happy. The feeling was strange. The sense that his life as a human being was reaching its grand finale. It wasn¡¯t as bad as he had thought. After staring intently at the photo, he picked up his mobile phone again and called someone. Ring ring- ring ring. The dial tone echoed in the room for a moment- Click. ¡°Natsuko. Yes. It¡¯s me, Sunwoo.¡± Bubble bubble bubble. ¡°Can we meet for a moment to talk? I have something urgent I¡¯d like to discuss.¡± The water in the electric teapot boiled fiercely, as if it would overflow at any moment. Natsuko flew to Seoul like the wind, less than 30 minutes after the call ended, and she could only blink with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and get some fresh air.¡± We¡¯ll be wiretapped here. Follow me. The words her friend uttered after leading her to a closed basement were too shocking. ¡°¡­Do you know about the artifact called ¡®Evidence¡¯?¡± ¡°I do. But why?¡± ¡°Listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­So, they¡¯re going to use that to¡­¡± ¡°Yes. They plan to assassinate you.¡± ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± The story Seo Sunwoo told her was utterly shocking. To think that Silo Corporation was planning to assassinate her. And in a way she could never have imagined. Her long-time friend, Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo, had found out about it in advance and kindly informed her. After the conversation ended, Natsuko left the basement. As she walked alone down the quiet corridor, two intense emotions swirled violently inside her. The relief of being alive, and, ¡®They didn¡¯t find out. They didn¡¯t find out¡­!!! They didn¡¯t find out!!!! Ah, they didn¡¯t find out!!¡¯ Exhilaration. An electrifying exhilaration that made her whole body tingle. The certainty that Seo Sunwoo didn¡¯t know what she had done. The assassination plan he had shared was so detailed and seemed highly likely to succeed. If he knew what she had done, he would never have shared such a plan. The anxiety that had been chasing her all her life had completely vanished. Seo Sunwoo is an ally. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And when he¡¯s an ally, there¡¯s no one more reliable. The being she feared most in the world was actually on her side. Seo Sunwoo knows nothing. To him, that day¡¯s incident was just an unfortunate accident. ¡°Huh¡­ Haa¡­ Hah¡­¡± A shrill moan escaped her lips. The feeling of the monster that had been chasing her for 20 years disappearing was indescribably ecstatic. Natsuko walked down the corridor with trembling, excited steps. # Meanwhile, after Natsuko left the room, Seo Sunwoo. ¡°Phew¡­¡± He slumped into his office chair and held his forehead. Seeing Natsuko¡¯s expression, he was certain. Natsuko now trusts him. He had been acting for 20 years to gain this one moment of trust. There¡¯s no turning back now. One week. In one week, he will kill his best friend and the sworn enemy he hates most in his life. And then, he will quietly close his eyes beside the precious person he couldn¡¯t protect long ago. A bitter green tea scent slowly spread through the empty office. Chapter 74: Mad Triangle (1) Chapter 74: Mad Triangle (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast The edge of Siberia. A frozen land, a world of white. Beneath the frigid permafrost of the Far East, incongruously, there is a bunker. There, Yu Parang wakes up. ¡°Ugh¡­ hmm.¡± The clock shows half past eight in the morning. ¡®What time would it be back in Korea¡­.¡¯ Parang tries to calculate with her groggy mind, but gives up out of laziness. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®I should arrive in Korea before lunchtime.¡¯ In this rural backwater where Elvira lives¡ªactually, it can¡¯t even be called a backwater. Since no one lives here except Elvira, it would be more accurate to call it the middle of nowhere¡ªthere¡¯s obviously no luxurious facility like a warp gate. To get to Korea, she has no choice but to swim. Parang mentally ticks the clock forward and realizes this is the last possible moment to depart. So she skips the breakfast Elvira would have made her, dives into the sea, and starts swimming hard towards Korea. And so, she arrives in Korea. Popping up in the waters off Pohang, she opens the door to her dear home sweet home and ta-da! It¡¯s nine in the morning. In reality, it took about five hours. ¡®The appointment is at two o¡¯clock, so¡­.¡¯ She has more time than expected. ¡®If I¡¯d known, I should have just eaten breakfast before leaving.¡¯ Her stomach grumbles. It¡¯s only natural after five hours of non-stop super-fast swimming on an empty stomach. Just thinking about it makes her imagine steaming Russian home cooking right before her eyes. But what can she do? Parang holds back tears as she opens the refrigerator, takes out all the remaining side dishes, and roughly mixes them with rice to eat. Just as she¡¯s about to finish gobbling down a bowl of rice, Bzzzt!! Bzzzt!! ¡®Huh?¡¯ Bzzzt!! Bzzzt!! Her phone vibrates fiercely to notify her of a message, and when she checks, it¡¯s from Yuna. *Yuna: Hey hey* *Yuna: (Photo)* *Yuna: Is this a monster?* The two have become close enough to speak informally in private. Parang looks closely at the photo, and it¡¯s¡­ something. As she has guessed, the photo Yuna sent is of the submarine that the Association was controlling. At first, even Yuna thought, ¡®Oh, it¡¯s a submarine.¡¯ But when more than twenty identical ones popped up from somewhere, she wondered if it might be a monster and contacted Parang. She might argue, ¡®Come on, no matter how you look at it, with that appearance, it can¡¯t be a monster, right?¡¯ Well, it clearly looks like a machine, a submarine. Moreover, looking at Yuna¡¯s explanation, *Yuna: I saw it while wandering around the East Sea at dawn, it makes a buzzing sound, moves with propellers, and when you break it, it goes boom, crackle, and sinks.* No, this is just a machine. Didn¡¯t she herself unconsciously use the expression ¡®when you break it¡¯? *Parang: Then it¡¯s just a machine, isn¡¯t it?;* However, *Yuna: No, it could be a monster.* Parang was about to type ¡®What nonsense is that?¡¯ but paused. Thinking carefully, there¡¯s¡­ no particular reason it couldn¡¯t be a monster. ¡®Ah, damn, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Even Parang, the self-proclaimed monster expert, feels like it¡­ could possibly be a monster. It¡¯s long been revealed to the world through Parang¡¯s broadcasts that judging whether something is a monster or not based on its appearance is meaningless. There are plenty of monster that look even more machine-like than this. There are even monster that are actually machines. Of course, this is still a highly debated topic in academic circles. So Parang stops her enthusiastically moving spoon, hesitates for a moment, and then, *Parang: I¡¯m not sure;;* She decides to answer honestly. The sea is like this. They say you can know ten fathoms of water but not one fathom of a person¡¯s mind? At least in this world, that¡¯s nonsense. Clatter- Clatter- Having finished a bowl of rice in no time, Parang picks up her phone and carefully looks at the photo Yuna sent. ¡®She said she saw it while exploring the East Sea at dawn¡­.¡¯ It seemed worth taking a day to go around and look for it herself. ¡®Hmm, but¡­.¡¯ Her schedule is a bit tighter than she thought. Tomorrow, she has to go explore another Hive, and after returning from there and finishing her dive, it¡¯ll be about time for the ¡®evidence¡¯ to be repaired. And then she¡¯ll be busy doing something with the clues that come from there. If she had to find a suitable time, it would be tonight. ¡®I should go check it out once.¡¯ Parang roughly sets her schedule and checks the time again. It¡¯s time to leave soon. Where to? To Seoul. It¡¯s the day she¡¯s supposed to meet Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo. ¡®Surely it won¡¯t be that confusing double conversation again this time¡­.¡¯ Parang shudders slightly, recalling the pain of the past. Of course, her eyes fall on the pen she used to write a memo on the calendar last time. ¡®Should I bring one¡­.¡¯ So, picking up the pen and putting it in her waterproof bag for outings, Parang dives into the sea with a slightly uneasy feeling and heads towards Seoul. # Meanwhile, in Daejeon. Silo Corporation Materials Research Institute. WHAM-!! ¡­Well, not quite that dramatic, but someone opened the door with a somewhat ambiguous intensity. In other words, they had the desire to fling the door open dramatically, but to avoid inconveniencing the people inside, they opened it just forcefully enough to give the impression of opening it gently. With a thud, the door opened and someone entered. Jet-black hair and golden eyes. An S-rank Production Hunter and one of the few hunters officially designated as a ¡®Collaborating Hunter¡¯ by Silo. It¡¯s Shin Yuna. As the gazes of all the researchers in white coats focused on her, she strode in purposefully and then- She brought a dozen or so rolled-up papers, spread them out on the largest table in the center, and began unfolding them one by one. The researchers who were already acquainted with her cautiously approached, looking at the contents of the unfolded papers with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, as if observing a madwoman. One by one, they wiped away their curiosity and regarded her with 100% ¡°she¡¯s lost it¡± looks. What she had brought were blueprints and design plans. The blueprint of a heavily armed submarine, about 100 meters in length. At a glance, you can see one, two, three¡­ so many gun barrels you can¡¯t even count them all, and the energy efficiency is shot to hell thanks to that damned steampunk design, not to mention countless other problems. But the researchers, looking into Yuna¡¯s eyes, already sensed their fate. Those crazed eyes, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen them. Ah, I want to quit. ¡°Let¡¯s build this.¡± Yuna¡¯s eyes were already blazing with fiery determination. # Brrrrr- Splash!! Parang poked her head out from under a bridge over the Han River. Current time, twelve o¡¯clock. A leisurely arrival. She arrives at the meeting place with a slightly nervous heart. ¡®Huh? This isn¡¯t the Association building?¡¯ The meeting place she arrived at isn¡¯t the Association, but some fancy restaurant. The entrance isn¡¯t flashy, but its elegance and neatness give it an even more upscale feel, and the exterior of the building is the same. Parang, who loves delicious food, occasionally enjoys fine cuisine at upscale restaurants when she has business in Seoul. From her past experiences, she could tell without a doubt that this place was extremely expensive and high-class. ¡®Right. Surely they wouldn¡¯t do that sort of thing while eating.¡¯ Somewhat reassured, Parang stepped into the restaurant. As she went further in, the air of luxury became even more apparent. After mentally noting the restaurant¡¯s location, Parang followed the staff¡¯s guidance deeper inside. And then she arrived at what was clearly a VIP room! As she entered, Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo greeted her with a neat appearance and a smiling face. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you. Even though it¡¯s only our second meeting, I feel a sense of familiarity. Perhaps it¡¯s because I often watch your broadcasts.¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­ Thank you for enjoying them.¡± As Parang sat down, she quickly scanned the table. No pen, no paper! ¡®Yes!!¡¯ She barely managed to hide her delight. Soon after, a parade of visually appetizing, luxurious dishes began to arrive, and Parang¡¯s eyes lit up like a starry sky as she gazed at the food. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I don¡¯t like discussing business during meals either.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you for the meal.¡± Wow, it¡¯s like meat from a manga, manga meat. Parang digs into the heaping pile of food, chomping and munching away heartily. # ¡°That was delicious. This restaurant is really great.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it suited your taste.¡± Seo Sunwoo spoke softly, looking at the dishes that had vanished without a trace. ¡°Well then, now for the main topic¡­ if I may.¡± Parang gulped nervously once more. It feels like Seo Sunwoo might pull out paper and a pen from his pocket at any moment. For now, Parang took out the documents she had brought from her waterproof bag. It¡¯s a file containing detailed information on several monster species, including their ecology, characteristics, strengths, sizes, and so on. The level of detail is almost stalker-like. It¡¯s data she received after asking Vertea for help. These are the monster that will appear in the ¡®Underwater Hunter Rank Test¡¯ that she had discussed with Seo Sunwoo earlier. As is common in hunter stories, they will be implemented as ¡®physically interactive holograms¡¯ that will appear in the test arena to fight with hunters. This is the reason Parang came to Seoul today. After Seo Sunwoo received and put away the documents, he took out something else and handed it to Parang. Paper and pen¡­ no, it¡¯s a small metal box. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Open it alone in a safe situation. After taking out the contents, throw the box into the sea.¡± ¡®Huh¡­.¡¯ Once again sensing that something headache-inducing was about to happen, Parang simply put away the metal box for now. Then they talked a bit about work, and ¡®work¡¯. ¡°Wait a minute. Is it okay to talk like this? Aren¡¯t we at risk of being wiretapped or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already taken care of that part.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­.¡± She returned home without any issues. Chapter 75: Mad Triangle (2) Chapter 75: Mad Triangle (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°Phew¡­¡± Parang opened the door with a creak and entered the house, sprawling out on the sofa. On the way home, she caught some deep-sea fish, delivered them to the association, took a nap underwater, and by the time she arrived home, it was already night. Grumble- Her stomach clock rings, coldly criticizing the past mistake of not having eaten dinner. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to eat at home¡­¡¯ She had eaten everything before leaving today. All the restaurants would be closed by now. Ordering delivery is impossible in this rural area where you¡¯d have to drive to town. As for going to the convenience store, ¡®Ugh, that part-timer from before¡­¡¯ She¡¯s terrified of running into that part-timer who drained her energy so much. Parang had almost jumped out of the water like a flying fish when she encountered that part-timer while going for an interview. At least during the interview, it was underwater so it was okay, but meeting twice outside of water¡­ ¡°Urgh¡­¡± She hates it. Grumble grumble- Should she just go hungry¡­? Parang burrowed deeper into the sofa with a slightly gloomy expression. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ That box. The steel box that Seo Sunwoo had given her. Parang¡¯s thoughts, which had been drifting aimlessly in her subconscious, finally reached that point, ¡®Didn¡¯t he say to open it alone in a safe place?¡¯ Realizing that she was alone in a safe place, she quickly ran to get the metal box from the waterproof bag and brought it to the dining table. Parang carefully examines the box, holding it. There¡¯s no particular reason, but it¡¯s almost customary to do this when checking important items in such boxes. ¡®It¡¯s pretty.¡¯ S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It looks like some kind of treasure chest. No, it actually is a treasure chest. Parang, who doesn¡¯t remember because it¡¯s been too long since she entered a dungeon, doesn¡¯t know this fact, but this box is modeled after the treasure chests found in dungeons. You can find them in the gift shops of various Hunter Associations. Almost no one uses them for actual storage, but they carry them around as a sort of good luck charm. Well, anyway. After examining the box thoroughly, Parang clicked open the lid. Inside were a flat, gum-sized rectangular metal plate and a note. First, engraved on the metal plate was¡­ ¡®Q092-10T45¡­¡¯ ¡°Coordinates?¡± They¡¯re coordinates. ¡®Q092, that¡¯s the East Sea.¡¯ And coordinates for the East Sea at that. Why suddenly coordinates out of nowhere? Parang then picked up the note and began to read. *< Come to these coordinates at the appropriate time. You¡¯ll know when that time is naturally. Burn the note after reading it. >* It¡¯s Seo Sunwoo¡¯s handwriting from their previous written conversation. ¡®What is he talking about¡­¡¯ Saying she¡¯ll know naturally is Parang¡¯s least favorite way of explaining things. Why can¡¯t he just tell her straightforwardly? It¡¯s on par with the ¡®At that time, I didn¡¯t know. This incident would turn out to be incredibly¡­¡¯ style of narration. For Parang, who enjoyed reading novels in her past life, this is an infuriating part. She wants to run and grab Seo Sunwoo right now and ask him to just tell her when it is, but that¡¯s impossible. Unless Seo Sunwoo decides to go underwater. And if he wrote such an irritating message, even if she really grabbed him by the collar and asked, there¡¯s a high chance he wouldn¡¯t tell her. ¡®Sigh¡­¡¯ Still, if he¡¯s passing it on like this, it must be incredibly important. He even engraved it on a metal plate to prevent damage. And honestly, it¡¯s obvious to anyone that there¡¯s no point in throwing a fit asking, ¡°When is that time?!¡± It¡¯s probably around the time of Natsuko¡¯s subjugation, or just before or after. After all, that¡¯s why I met Seo Sunwoo in the first place. There¡¯s no other particular timing if not then. But that¡¯s all I can figure out. Parang rummaged through the house to find a lighter, then carelessly burned the note. ¡®Hmm, should I just go now?¡¯ There¡¯s no particular reason why I shouldn¡¯t go now, is there? It seemed okay to just go take a quick look at what¡¯s there and come back. Besides, there¡¯s also the content of the text messages she exchanged with Yuna this morning. That mysterious submarine¡­ or something that looks like it. She might as well look for that too, killing two birds with one stone. Strike while the iron is hot, they say. Parang quickly put on her clothes and jumped into the sea. Then swim, swim, swim. In less than 10 minutes, she arrived at the coordinates Seo Sunwoo had given her. ¡®The depth is¡­ about 150m.¡¯ Shallower than expected. And there, ¡°Huh?¡± She couldn¡¯t find anything in particular. Just a flat, moderately bumpy bottom and water. That¡¯s it. No matter where she looked around, there was nothing particularly noticeable. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Did I come to the wrong coordinates?¡¯ She even activated her skill to double-check the coordinates, but this was definitely the right place. Did he engrave it on the metal plate in preparation for this kind of situation? ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Ah, I don¡¯t know. No matter how much I look around, there¡¯s nothing here. What am I supposed to do? It¡¯s not like anything could be hidden in this wide-open flat area. Parang thought it was strange and tried to search the area more, but realizing there was nowhere else to search, she just left. If she had been a little more careful, she would have discovered a tiny red light glowing buried in the ground at exactly those coordinates, but unfortunately¡­ Parang swam again, swim, swim. Going straight down, this time she reaches a depth of 800m, the entrance to the monster fish layer. To find that submarine Yuna had mentioned. Checking the time, it was half past twelve. It¡¯s a bit different from the time when Yuna encountered that unidentified thing, but well. Parang started searching for it, roaming around the area. And not long after, ¡®Oh.¡¯ Really not long after, she discovered something bobbing around in the sea. She approaches and carefully examines it. She taps it, peers into what looks like a camera, grabs it and shakes it. Ratatatatat!!! ¡°Ouch, that stings!¡± She even gets shot a few times. After trying everything she could, the conclusion! ¡®No matter how I look at it, this seems like a machine.¡¯ For final confirmation, she decides to take out the Kraken and bring it close. And so, in the deep of night, the Hunter Association¡¯s basement faces an ultra-emergency situation of ¡®Being discovered by Yu Parang.¡¯ Huddled together, staring at the screen, Natsuko¡¯s subordinates, who were keenly feeling the lesson ¡®This is why we must always have a self-destruct button,¡¯ ¡°Uh, uh-oh, what is that girl doing now?¡± ¡°Uh, uh-oh!!!¡± ¡°?????????????????????!???????????????!???????? ?????????????????????!??????????????!????????????????!?????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!???????????????!?????????!????????????????¡±?????????? ¡°???????????????????????????????????????????????!????????!????????!!¡± ¡°J???????u?????????s??????????t?????????????e?????????? ????????n???????????o??????s?????????????? ????????a????????????? ?????????????m?????????????a??????l??????????o???????????? ????????l???????????????i???????b??????????e???????????????r????????a????????!???????????!??????? ?????J?????????u??????????s??????????t?????e???????????? ??????????????n????????o?????????????s?????????????? ?????????????a?????????????? ?????????m????????????a??????????l????????????o?????????????? ????????l??????????i???????????b????????????e??????????r??????????a???????!????????????!?????????¡± Unable to spread the lesson learned that day to the world, they were discovered the next day in a rather horrific state and were incinerated in utmost secrecy. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s definitely a machine.¡± Seeing that it doesn¡¯t react to the Kraken, it must be a machine. ¡®If it¡¯s a machine, well, I guess if I take it to the silo, they¡¯ll figure out how to use it.¡¯ As luck would have it, it was just the right size, about as big as a large pillow, making it look easy to carry. Just as Parang was about to leave, gently hugging the submarine, Grumble-rumble- ¡®Ah, I¡¯m hungry.¡¯ She finally feels a level of hunger that can no longer be ignored. Already on an empty stomach and having swum in the monster fish layer, her stomach feels like it¡¯s touching her back. ¡®But there¡¯s nothing to eat, really¡­¡¯ ¡°Ah.¡± Well, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s absolutely nothing. Parang¡¯s eyes turned towards the eerily quiet monster fish layer. ¡®It¡¯s been quite a while since I ate that.¡¯ It¡¯s not that Parang is barbaric or anything, it¡¯s just that the tasty things are really tasty. The reason she hasn¡¯t eaten it recently is nothing special, just that it¡¯s big and troublesome to move and prepare. But is the hassle really an issue now? She¡¯s hungry. She disappeared in a flash, and about an hour later, returned with an extremely satisfied expression. Chapter 76: Mad Triangle (3) Chapter 76: Mad Triangle (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°So, this is the footage from that time.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. This is the CCTV footage that was recording the office at the time of the incident.¡± Natsuko continued to ask questions to the man beside her with an expressionless face. ¡°Who else saw it besides me?¡± ¡°Only the security guard who was on duty in the CCTV room at the time and myself.¡± ¡°What happened to the security guard?¡± ¡°He seemed to be in shock, so we decided to let him rest at home for a few days. I gave him paid leave at my discretion.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ I see. You can go now.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. And please be careful when watching that footage. While there doesn¡¯t seem to be any mental effects, the content is quite horrific.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man who was with Natsuko left the room, looking extremely anxious. It was as if he didn¡¯t want to spend even a second more with this footage playing in front of her. Natsuko quietly sat down in front of the computer, staring at the file on the desktop. The CCTV footage that had been recording inside the basement during last night¡¯s horrific incident. Natsuko quietly pressed the play button. What appeared on the screen was that basement where the incident had occurred. ¡®Is that the employee?¡¯ An employee who was visibly restless caught her eye immediately. Probably the one who discovered that¡­ B-rank deep-sea hunter. As the footage was shot from the side, unfortunately, the computer screen he was looking at wasn¡¯t visible due to the angle. ¡®Should we increase the number of CCTV cameras?¡¯ The man continued to fidget restlessly, showing every sign of anxiety, until he finally called for his superior. And when his superior came and looked at the man¡¯s screen. ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö!!¡± He started talking frantically. Since the video had no sound, it was impossible to know what he was saying, but this wasn¡¯t a problem for Natsuko. ¡®Lip reading.¡¯ [ Skill, ¡®Lip Reading¡¯ has been activated. ] ¡°Th-this is¡­! Everyone!! Come here and look at this!!¡± Then, with a rush- Everyone in the office, even the security guard watching the door, was called over to look at the screen together. Natsuko felt a considerable sense of discomfort at this point. It¡¯s understandable for a subordinate to report an unexpected situation to their superior. However, for that superior to suddenly call everyone over to look at the screen together? This is clearly an unreasonable situation. ¡®They¡¯ve been entranced by something.¡¯ As far as she knew, the person in that ¡®superior¡¯ position wasn¡¯t foolish enough to make such an irrational decision in this situation. Then there¡¯s only one answer. They¡¯ve been entranced by someone in the video. That would explain it. ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ Even if that were the case, questions arise. When a mental barrier skill meets a mental attack skill, the result manifests in a way similar to ¡®subtraction¡¯. For example, if someone has a barrier skill at a level of about 60, and they receive a mental attack with an intensity of 80, they would be entranced by an amount of 20. At this point, an unsolvable question arises. As far as Natsuko knows, the mental barrier levels of the ¡®superior¡¯ and the employee who called him are vastly different. If the ¡®superior¡¯s¡¯ mental barrier is around 50, the employee¡¯s would be about 10. If a mental attack strong enough to make the superior make an irrational decision in an instant, let¡¯s say a level 51 mental attack, was flowing from the screen, then the employee with a mental barrier of 10 who received that attack¡­ ¡®He should have either gone mad and caused a disturbance, committed suicide, or shown some kind of extreme behavior.¡¯ There¡¯s no way he could have just ¡®fidgeted in his seat and called his superior¡¯. Moreover, even until the superior looked at the screen and called the others, he didn¡¯t show any unusual behavior. He just anxiously tapped his feet. Besides, the full-scale mental attack hasn¡¯t even begun yet. Natsuko recalled what the subordinate who handed her the video had said. ¡°It appears they were entranced by a mental attack at the 5 minute 58 second mark of the video. There were no noticeable abnormalities until then.¡± This ¡®5 minute 58 second mark¡¯ is obviously the point where Yu Parang took out the Kraken and started tapping on the machine. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Natsuko slumped into her chair, holding her forehead. She had a headache. Why on earth did this person called ¡®superior¡¯ act like this? Just a momentary lapse in judgment? A mental attack with different intensity for each person? Or does there exist a mental attack that ignores status windows and mental barriers? ¡®No.¡¯ Natsuko shook her head. Such a thing couldn¡¯t exist. A subtle mental attack that applies differently to each person. This seemed the most plausible. While this too is unprecedented in history, it¡¯s still a much more sensible explanation than the other two. The nature of the attack is probably similar to fascination. So the ¡¯employee¡¯ called his superior and asked him to ¡®look at this together,¡¯ and the superior, after seeing it, likely called all the employees to ¡®look at this together.¡¯ A very slight distortion of thought that occurred in a confusing situation probably made them unable to recognize that this was a mental attack. ¡®As a result, they all gathered to watch the video, and a terrible outcome ensued?¡¯ Natsuko rewound the video a bit and stopped at 5 minutes 50 seconds. ¡®Lip reading.¡¯ [ Skill, ¡®Lip Reading¡¯ has been activated. ] ¡°Damn it!! Isn¡¯t there a self-destruct button or something?!¡± ¡°Why on earth would we have something like that?!¡± ¡°Wh-what! What the hell is that woman doing?!¡± ¡°Wh-whoa!!¡± ¡°Aaaaaargh!!!¡± The cries of bewilderment soon turned into screams of pain. This is the situation at 5 minutes 57 seconds. And at 5 minutes 58 seconds. ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö!!!¡± ¡®Wh-what? Lip reading.¡¯ [ Skill, ¡®Lip Reading¡¯ is already activated. ] ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö!!!!!!!!!!¡± Everyone simultaneously grabs their heads and screams. They grab onto any solid object nearby and bang their heads against it. The wall, the floor, computers, the heads of nearby colleagues. They squeeze their eyes shut and stick their fingers in their ears. As if they don¡¯t want to see, don¡¯t want to hear. Blood flows out. From every orifice of the body. Some gnaw at each other¡¯s wrists with their teeth, pulling out veins and tying them together while laughing. The ¡®superior,¡¯ as if having made a decision, stops looking at the screen and heads to the center of the room. Then crack, crackle! Crunch!!! He violently bends his limbs in the opposite direction. Though it should be biologically impossible, the superior doesn¡¯t stop and continues to forcefully bend his limbs. Waist, neck, and many others. He twists all the joints in his body, creating his own art in the center. Eventually, the superior becomes a ball. Bending and folding his joints by himself, he becomes a grotesque shape as if someone had put him in a ball-shaped mold and compressed him. The other employees, seemingly impressed by this sight, try to walk towards the superior and bow. Those whose bodies were still relatively intact could bow without problem, but the majority couldn¡¯t. However, they themselves had already been banging their heads and poking all the holes in their faces, making it impossible to maintain a posture, so they struggled. But soon, one employee seems to find an answer and again bends his joints grotesquely. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arms and legs in reverse joints, back bent backwards. Even the neck, as far back as possible. Thus, he creates a posture of bowing with his stomach facing upwards. As if claiming, ¡®This is also a bow, so it¡¯s fine.¡¯ Other employees who were struggling to bow see this and start bowing too. With happy faces. With joyful faces. With faces of salvation. And then, all movement in the room stops. A ball made of humans in the center of the room. Surrounding it, disciples are bowing. Only the fluorescent light in the center of the sanctuary is on, as if the ball made of crumpled humans is being blessed by a holy light. And then, the door opens and the man who had handed over the video enters. Probably the security guard on duty was terrified and called him, and after receiving the report, he came in to assess the situation. The video ends at that point. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Natsuko stared at the paused screen for a moment. She truly never dreamed she would use this expression, but. ¡°¡­Insane.¡± Natsuko could only offer her impression with a low sigh. This is purely on the level of a monster, isn¡¯t it? Even Natsuko herself doesn¡¯t have the confidence to launch such a powerful mental attack through a screen. Is such a powerful attack even a power permitted to humans? ¡®I should inform Seo Sunwoo about this too.¡¯ A hunter with such powerful abilities could be dangerous even for that Seo Sunwoo. No, perhaps he¡¯s already under attack. The back of Natsuko¡¯s neck prickled slightly. The thought of Seo Sunwoo being enchanted by her and turning against herself again is a terrifying situation. ¡®No. Sunwoo is still in his right mind. He¡¯s not enchanted. If there are any signs, I can prevent it in advance.¡¯ She picked up her phone right there and called Seo Sunwoo. About 30 minutes later, Seo Sunwoo appeared in the association president¡¯s office, received the USB, and disappeared. ¡®Now it¡¯s done.¡¯ Seo Sunwoo will watch the video she gave him and take appropriate measures on his own. Natsuko whistled with satisfaction. Chapter 77: Mad Triangle (4) Chapter 77: Mad Triangle (4)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Meanwhile, at the moment Natsuko was witnessing Parang¡¯s shocking ability. In other words, seven hours after Parang unintentionally caused a catastrophe. Eleven o¡¯clock in the morning. Yu Parang Gallery. [ urnOnYuParangStreamTurnOnYuParangStreamTurnOnYuParangStream ] [ Author: oo ] What¡¯s with the fake stream time ©¤ What ? The ? Fck ©¤ How generous is this limited-time streaming ©¤ (The sea is really dangerous con) They were going mad with the drought that had started again, raising sickles and plows, trying to revolt and burn down the world. It was because Parang had forgotten to announce the next streaming schedule when she ended her previous broadcast. It¡¯s a very rookie mistake, but Parang is indeed a rookie. It hasn¡¯t even been three months since she started streaming. And it¡¯s been one, two, three days since she last streamed! She hasn¡¯t turned on her stream for three whole days. Her die-hard viewers were almost at the point of hallucinating, to exaggerate a little. ¡°Stream¡­ Yu Parang, turn on the stream¡­!!¡± How strong must their desire be to watch her stream to act like this? That¡¯s how fatally attractive Parang¡¯s streams are. But it¡¯s been three whole days! The neighbor Shin Yuna¡¯s viewers are thrilled because she¡¯s been streaming diligently lately, but why are we¡­!! In this state, how do you think the community is doing? [ TurnOnYuParangStreamTurnOnYuParangStreamTurnOnYuParangStream ] [30] [ Went to make Mini Yu Parang, not coming back rong ] [43] [ Season total 5938331 times Yu Parang Gallery explosion ] [21] [ ???: ¡°Is it a crime to not stream for a while?!¡± ] [54] [ Gallery owner turn on stream quick kk ] [98] [ We know gallery owner is watching the gallery ] [31] [ Yu Parang, why are you trying to leave me? ] [45] Of course, a massive explosion, eruption, boom boom boom. [ Went to make Mini Yu Parang, not coming back ] [ Author: Golden Japanese Sword ] Gallery owner will go make mini gallery owner Will come back in 10 months rong working hard ©¤ Seriously, don¡¯t do this ©¤ What¡¯s with this fucking way of talking ? It¡¯s what¡¯s trendy these days shot ? Learned another fucking thing, shit is this fun? ? It¡¯s super fun lol ? It¡¯s fucking fun lol ? (Open your eyes con) ? (Close your eyes con) [ ???: ¡°Is it a crime to not stream for a while?!¡± ] [ Author: Achu ] (GIF of Parang stomping her feet angrily) I¡¯m pretty, aren¡¯t I!!! ©¤ Uh oh, why is this forgivable ©¤ Gallery owner rec ? Gallery owner rec ©¤ That¡¯s right, there needs to be a farewell for the reunion to be sweeter¡­¡­ ? There¡¯s no reunion, you fucker ? (Open your eyes con) [ Gallery owner turn on stream quick kk ] [ Author: Jjuwaaaaap ] (A photo of Parang staring blankly straight ahead. Her cheeks look a bit puffy, making her even cuter.) Wait, I get that you¡¯re angry. But¡­¡­ ©¤ Sue them with whatever law ? I¡¯m a lawyer and this works ? Lawyers don¡¯t talk like that;; ©¤ Can¡¯t we just ban these bastards? ©¤ (Open your eyes con) ©¤ Where¡¯s the stream link?? ? It¡¯s a bait post ? Is it a fishing stream today? ? What the fuck ? (Wtf con) ? (Open your eyes con) [ We know gallery owner is watching the gallery ] [ Author: Uketsu ] (A photo taken looking down from a pier) If she doesn¡¯t turn on the stream by today I¡¯m really going to dive I¡¯m serious (A photo of scuba diving equipment. It looks quite professional, including goggles and oxygen tank.) I¡¯ve even prepared (A photo of a wetsuit. It¡¯s black, designed to fit tightly to the body, and has zippers here and there¡­ wait, what?) I¡¯ve even got a wetsuit Gallery owner please turn on the stream ©¤ Uh oh, that¡¯s really not okay ©¤ Just thinking about this bastard rummaging through his storage to get this for a top post is fucking hilarious kk ? But it¡¯s in too good condition for that? ©¤ (Open your eyes con) ? This fucker is here every time someone posts, shit is it a macro? ©¤ lol That wetsuit is that one idiot ? ?? Why? What is it ? (Link) ? (Link) ? (Link) ? Ah fuck Lol ©¤ Lol ? How the fuck does this bastard have this lol ? Wondered where it went, here it is lol ©¤ (The sea is really dangerous con) And then!! [ Fuck She¡¯s here ! ! ! ] [0] With the gallery owner¡¯s booming voice (typing), Yu Parang appears! The procession of viewers coming to greet Parang forms a sea of people, making the place bustling. [ LIVE ¨C Yu Parang is coming ] ¡°Huh? Wait a second.¡± Meanwhile, the die-hard viewers feel a bit puzzled when they see the title. Usually, when Parang starts a stream, she would typically indicate her location, like [East Sea Hive Exploration] or [Swimming to Hong Kong]. But today, that¡¯s not the case. ¡®Is she preparing some kind of surprise?¡¯ Thus, some viewers hold a bit of anticipation. Anyway, the viewers who flocked to the lively, bustling broadcast are greeted by Parang¡¯s dazzlingly beautiful face! On the screen, Parang is peacefully lying underwater with classical music playing. Her expression, without a hint of wavering, shows no sign of worry or concern, only overflowing leisure, contentment, and a rich spirit. This must be what they mean when they say just looking at something can be healing. At last, she opens her eyes. ¡°Well, hello everyone. Today¡­ Huh.¡± She suddenly stops speaking as she¡¯s about to start the broadcast as usual. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She stares intently at the chat window with her eyes slightly narrowed. ©¤ ^^7 ©¤ ^^7 ©¤ Car ©¤ Zero ©¤ Zero ©¤ lolol ©¤ lol ©¤ ^^7 ©¤ Zero What¡¯s this uneasy feeling? Somehow, doesn¡¯t the chat seem unnatural? ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As Parang stares intently at the chat window, the viewers, as if caught red-handed, hastily urge her to start the broadcast. ©¤ Where are you going today?? ©¤ lololololol ©¤ Wow, your face Parang strokes her chin once, then scrolls up the chat window. ©¤ We¡¯re screwed ©¤ fuckfuckfuck ©¤ I didn¡¯t do it I didn¡¯t do it I didn¡¯t do it As if they indeed have something to feel guilty about, the viewers frantically regret. ©¤ The sea is really dangerous. Some have already started chatting in resignation. As Parang scrolls up the chat window, oh my, what¡¯s this? ©¤ Open your eyes ©¤ Open your eyes ©¤ lololol ©¤ Open your eyes ©¤ Yuha ©¤ Open your eyes The viewers¡¯ cute pranks couldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed. Well, to make an excuse from the viewers¡¯ perspective, ¡°Come on, the streamer is lying there with her eyes closed in the water!!!¡± They argue that it¡¯s impossible to resist chatting. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Even Parang, thinking about it, honestly feels like she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist either. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let it slide just for today.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s happened multiple times, just this once. That¡¯s what she thought. Of course, the viewers had been doing this mischief not just this once, but every time Parang closed her eyes, but Parang naturally didn¡¯t know this fact. ©¤ ¡®??¡¯ donated 10000 won!! ¨C [ So, where are you going today? I¡¯ve asked 3,194,119 times. ] ¡°Ah, today I¡¯m planning to explore a place that¡¯s very familiar to all of you as well.¡± At Parang¡¯s words, the viewers¡¯ heads tilt in confusion. No way, in this vast ocean, ten fathoms deep, where could there possibly be a place familiar to them? Even in the East Sea, right in front of their homes, there were heaps of strange things, and no one knew about them. ¡°Ta-da. I¡¯m here right now.¡± Saying that, Parang displays an image on the broadcast. It¡¯s a map. Question marks appear above the viewers¡¯ heads. Hmm, so they knew where this was. The Caribbean Sea, famous for that pirate movie. Parang had mentioned the Caribbean Hive during a broadcast before, ¡°There¡¯s a Hive in the Caribbean Sea too. But I probably won¡¯t go there. There¡¯s not much there. It¡¯s really small.¡± ©¤ Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going to the Caribbean Sea Hive ©¤ But isn¡¯t this not even the Caribbean Sea? ©¤ Right. The Caribbean Sea is a bit more to the south. However, among the quick-witted viewers, some have already figured it out and are reacting. ©¤ Ah, it¡¯s that place ©¤ Oh ©¤ This is gonna be fucking interesting. While Parang takes a moment to build suspense, the chat window is divided into a great battle between the ¡®What the fuck is this¡¯ faction and the ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s what it is, you don¡¯t know?¡¯ faction. Thinking she¡¯s built up enough suspense, she draws something on the floating map image. ¡°Now, does this give you a better idea?¡± Only then do the viewers¡¯ reactions become unified. A triangle in the empty sea. A red dot at its center. That¡¯s right. ¡°Today¡¯s broadcast will be ¡®Bermuda Hive Exploration Broadcast¡¯.¡± Parang smiled confidently. The Bermuda Triangle. Among stories related to the sea, it boasts the highest recognition and history, a time-honored urban legend that¡¯s the best of the best. Disappearing ships and planes, mysterious frequencies, giant beings roaming the deep sea. Whenever a story about something scary in the sea circulates, it¡¯s always followed by talk about the Bermuda Triangle. Urban legends and mysteries always excite people. Especially, how do you think Parang¡¯s viewers, who are crazy about bizarre things! scary things! mysterious things! reacted? Naturally, the chat window is filled with countless enthusiastic messages. Of course, there are also some skeptical reactions. Urban legends, mysteries. They¡¯re all good. But, isn¡¯t an urban legend most valuable when it remains an urban legend, and a mystery when it remains a mystery? After all, reality is always less interesting than we imagine. Parang quietly smiled as she watched this. Of course, the truth hidden behind most mysteries is uninteresting. It was the same on the Earth that was Parang¡¯s home. The Bermuda Triangle was just a simple mystery, and the truth hidden behind it was quite boring. But. On this Earth, it¡¯s different. The Bermuda Triangle on this Earth is ¡®real¡¯. Chapter 78: Mad Triangle (5) Chapter 78: Mad Triangle (5)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast The Bermuda Triangle. In Parang¡¯s home planet Earth, there were countless urban legends about this mysterious triangular area. The most famous ones were about disappearing planes and ships. The legend goes that ships and aircraft that were communicating normally right up until they entered the Bermuda Triangle would suddenly have their communications cut off, and then sink to the bottom of the sea. In the past, it was just seen as an ¡®accident-prone area¡¯, but when a journalist wrote a slightly mysterious account of a plane disappearance incident, it became a cult hit and instantly elevated the area to urban legend status. After that, all sorts of absurd rumors sprouted up: ¡®When I passed through the Bermuda Triangle, the portrait I was carrying suddenly aged¡¯, ¡®You can hear cries for help from underwater¡¯, ¡®Sea monsters live there¡¯, ¡®Descendants of Atlantis live there¡¯, and even ¡®There¡¯s a black hole at the bottom¡¯. It¡¯s portrayed as a place so otherworldly that it¡¯s impossible to pass through by ship. Given its overwhelming popularity among sea-related urban legends, it was a topic frequently discussed in Yu Parang¡¯s gallery and broadcast chats. ¡®Go to Bermuda once,¡¯ they¡¯d say. The situation being what it is, even Parang, who doesn¡¯t look at the gallery (or might not even know it exists), is aware of this demand to some extent. And in Parang¡¯s opinion, the Bermuda Hive and the surrounding Bermuda Triangle area are certainly worth exploring with the broadcast on. It¡¯s not just interesting, it¡¯s also frightening. After all, since this is clearly a public service broadcast warning people not to dive, an element of fear is almost essential for Parang¡¯s broadcast. As for the interest factor, well, the fact that they¡¯re exclusively broadcasting the truth about the Bermuda Hive already takes care of that. ¡®I do feel a bit sorry for the mystery journalists.¡¯ Well, it¡¯s not like Bermuda is the only mystery in the world. Besides, once the truth is revealed, mystery enthusiasts might get even more excited. ©¤ ¡®OO¡¯ donated 1000 won! ¨C [ Host, when are you leaving, open your eyes open your eyes open your eyes open your eyes ] ¡°Huh.¡± Parang, who had been lost in thought without realizing it, took a breath. Despite priding herself on her broadcasting skills, she still makes these kinds of mistakes from time to time. Though viewers seem to like even that, calling it a charm point. Parang quickly gathered her thoughts and continued her commentary. ¡°Ah¡­ Where were we?¡± ©¤ You said you were really going down now. ©¤ Ah, where was it ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll really go down now.¡± ©¤ 15 ©¤ 15 ©¤ 15 lololololol An unidentified number appearing in the chat. ¡°Huh? What does 15 mean?¡± ©¤ Don¡¯t know ©¤ The sea is really dangerous ©¤ open your eyes ¡°What the¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m really going down now.¡± ©¤ 16 lololololol ©¤ 16 ©¤ 16 ¡®What is this, really¡­¡¯ Putting her confusion aside, Parang really started to dive. Down, further down. And as the depth increased, viewers began to feel something was off. ¡®Why are there so many monster fish?¡¯ Even though the monster layer is said to be, with some exaggeration, half water and half monster fish. This is¡­ even so, it¡¯s a bit too much. It feels like almost five times what they usually see in Parang¡¯s broadcasts. If before they encountered one every 5 minutes, now they¡¯re encountering one every minute. And they haven¡¯t even reached the hive yet. Even viewers who know nothing about the sea beyond ¡®it¡¯s really dangerous¡¯ can sense that something is wrong at this point. So they¡¯re frantically hitting the chat, asking what on earth is going on. ©¤ Why are there so many monster fish?? ©¤ Viewer meetup lol ©¤ If it¡¯s like this when we¡¯ve only gone down 1km, how many will there be when we enter the hive ¡°Ah, it seems you¡¯ve noticed. That¡¯s right. There are quite a lot of monster fish in Bermuda.¡± Indeed. In Bermuda, there are quite a lot of monster fish. Quite a lot, a lot. How many? The number of monster fish inhabiting the area around the hive is about five times that of other hives, and the number inside the hive is nearly ten times as many. The reason for that is¡­ ¡°It¡¯s still a secret.¡± ©¤ Oh come on ©¤ Here we go again, we¡¯re screwed ©¤ What¡¯s with this time-limited explanation, damn it ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t keep throwing tantrums.¡± ©¤ What are you gonna do if we throw tantrums, huh? ©¤ A viewer getting scolded by the host for throwing a tantrum, oh¡­ ©¤ What do you mean ¡®oh¡¯, damn it ©¤ Isn¡¯t this an ¡®oh¡¯ moment? ¡®Why is the conversation flowing like this?¡¯ Parang was dumbfounded, despite having led it this way, no, not just led, but paved the road and even put up signposts for it to flow in this direction. Parang¡¯s social awareness seems to drop to the level of a fish whenever the broadcast starts. It¡¯s because she¡¯s still not used to people seeing her as a woman. ¡°If you keep saying weird things, you¡¯ll really get scolded.¡± As a result, as naturally as breathing, every single comment is a critical hit, without even giving a moment to breathe. Today too, she wore a stupid expression while watching the exploding chat window. And normally, as always, Parang would have been flustered, watching the chat window burn up, and then either posting an emoticon chat or taking some strong measure to suppress the chat, which would have been the typical flow. But today, she couldn¡¯t do that. Crash! In the midst of her squabble with the chat window, the space right in front of Parang shattered and a gate opened, Kuwaaaaaaaaa!!!! An monster fish shot out from inside at a terrifying speed. As if the space itself had cracked like a broken window, the place where Parang had been standing just a moment ago had become nothing less than a 20-meter diameter monster gate. ©¤ Holy sh*t, that scared me ©¤ What was that?? ©¤ Isn¡¯t that a gate??? Parang had avoided collision with the monster fish by dodging to the side, as if she had expected it. Though in reality, it wasn¡¯t expectation but reaction. Thanks to this sudden event, the burning topic in the chat window naturally shifted to the ¡®gate¡¯ right before their eyes. After a moment of surprise, as befitting her broadcast where hunters make up the majority of viewers, people who could recognize what this was began to appear quickly. ©¤ This is a gate ©¤ I thought deep-sea gates would look a bit different ©¤ But what kind of gate opens like this?? The appearance of broken glass, the fact that a monster came out from inside, and the pitch-black interior where you can¡¯t even make out what¡¯s inside. This is undoubtedly the appearance of the gates they see on the ground. However, as one viewer pointed out, this gate had one thing different from other gates. ©¤ For real, what kind of gate opens like this ©¤ If something like this opens on land, wouldn¡¯t it be an instant catastrophe? ©¤ Damn, now that you mention it opening on land, it¡¯s creepy as hell Generally speaking, a ¡®gate¡¯ is a phenomenon that occurs in a way that allows humans on the ground to deal with it sufficiently, kindly enough. About a month before a gate opens, a crack forms in the air with a sound like¡­ crack¡­ crackle¡­ This is called a ¡®fissure¡¯. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By looking at the appearance and size of this ¡®fissure¡¯, you can roughly tell when the gate will open and what kind of monsters will come out. Then, the grand gate system that Hunter Han Si-woo has built while establishing harems all over the world activates, evacuating nearby residents, deploying government-affiliated hunters, and the association issues a ¡®gate subjugation request¡¯. Finally, at the scheduled time, the fissure gradually widens and eventually opens with a crash! clang! clang!, and hunters typically form a defensive line and engage in a defensive battle until the gate closes. Well, whether they¡¯ll engage in a defensive battle, go inside for a cleanup, or designate it as a dungeon and have the government manage it is a matter to be decided later, but typically, that¡¯s how it goes. The point is, this gate in front of them appeared ¡®without warning¡¯. Without any sign whatsoever, just like that, in less than 5 seconds, it appeared and spat out monsters, Kuaaaaaaaaa-!! And it¡¯s still spitting them out. If something like this were to happen on the ground? It would be a disaster from that day on. ¡°How often and how widely do you think this gate appears?¡± At Parang¡¯s words, the viewers froze for a moment. The answer is, ¡®very often, very widely¡¯. From the depths of the Bermuda hive to just below the surface, and even up to the altitude where airplanes fly, these gates appear. If you encounter a gate that appears like this, returning is out of the question. Ships that encounter monster fish in invisible blind spots, or aircraft that encounter monster birds, are destroyed without a chance to react and sink to the bottom of the sea. ¡°This is the truth of the Bermuda hive. This is why ships disappear.¡± After hearing Parang¡¯s explanation, the viewers finally understood the truth of the Bermuda Triangle¡­ yeah, right. Instead, they went into overdrive and started throwing even more questions. ©¤ Why does this happen?? And only in Bermuda?? It¡¯s a reasonable question. Why does this bizarre phenomenon, which doesn¡¯t occur anywhere else in the world, only appear in this specific place called the Bermuda Triangle? Of course, Parang knows the reason for this too, and intends to tell the viewers. Whether the viewers will have their questions resolved after seeing that truth, or whether they¡¯ll have even more questions, is uncertain. Parang smiled quietly and descended even further down. Chapter 79: Mad Triangle (6) Chapter 79: Mad Triangle (6)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Parang¡¯s descent continued. The location of the Bermuda Hive is at a depth of 3km. Parang¡¯s current position is at 1.5km depth. The deeper she goes, the more monster fishes appear. Parang was intentionally slowing her descent speed to give viewers the ¡®joy of deduction¡¯, allowing them to freely speculate about the current state of the Bermuda Triangle to their heart¡¯s content. However, the phenomena they were trying to deduce were so extraordinary that even with numerous people racking their brains, no plausible theory emerged to explain all these occurrences. To give a few examples, There was a speculation that there might be a mother or breeding ground in the Bermuda Hive laying monster eggs at a rate of one every three seconds. This was quickly refuted. The overwhelming majority of the countless monster fishes in the Bermuda Triangle were ¡®gate-born monster fishes¡¯. Since creatures that come from gates cannot reproduce. Moreover, this theory couldn¡¯t explain the formation of gates either. The closest guess was the hypothesis that ¡®there¡¯s an enormously large dungeon at the bottom of the sea.¡¯ While ¡®gates appearing without rifts¡¯ is certainly an unprecedented anomaly, if you twist your thinking a bit, there are similar phenomena on land. Occasionally, there are gates with very high stability that remain in one place for as short as a few weeks or as long as several months. In these cases, phenomena occur that differentiate them from other gates that just spit out a few monsters and disappear. First is the transfer of the otherworldly ¡®environment¡¯. Strange structures or natural objects from the other world are transferred around the gate, changing the environment of the area. This ¡®changed environment¡¯ is what we call a dungeon. Second, while the dungeon exists, the frequency of small rifts or gates occurring in its vicinity increases. Gates that would normally appear once a month or so start appearing weekly around the dungeon. However, they are very small in size, and the level of monsters they produce is so low that just two or three A-rank hunters can provide complete defense. According to academic research, this phenomenon occurs because the stable gate actually makes the surrounding environment more unstable. It¡¯s similar to how a cracked part of glass, if left unattended for a long time, makes the surrounding area more prone to cracking. And if there¡¯s some special form of dungeon under the Bermuda Triangle, wouldn¡¯t it cause phenomena¡­ similar to what we¡¯re seeing now? That¡¯s the explanation. Parang gave this theory her stamp of approval. She even praised it, saying it was well done. ¡°That¡¯s a close guess.¡± As for other speculations that popped up, well. There¡¯s a black hole underneath, cosmic energy is gathered here, it¡¯s actually all fake, and so on¡­ Regardless of whether the speculations were right or wrong, Parang also had an enjoyable time exchanging chat messages with viewers after a long while. Also, since most of the monster fishes they usually encounter were mutated versions of Earth¡¯s fish, there was a certain thrill in seeing pure otherworldly fish that had popped out of gates. However, the time to reach the hive was inevitably delayed, as the monster fishes that came out of gates, true to their nature, would go crazy and charge at her as soon as they saw a human, thinking of her as food. Whenever Parang approached, they would immediately deploy strange gimmicks and attack. So after swimming for a few minutes, something would suddenly open its mouth behind her. An eyeball would appear at the edge of the screen, and something would suddenly pop out. ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t show you this one. I¡¯ll turn off the screen.¡± The screen would suddenly go black, and the sound of a baby crying would be heard from all directions, then, ¡°Okay, we¡¯re good now.¡± Parang would turn the screen back on as if nothing had happened. Jump scares, an eerie atmosphere, and breathtaking tension. It¡¯s fortunate this was a daytime broadcast. If it had been dawn, oh boy. So when Parang¡¯s screen suddenly turned dark at the 2km depth point, you can imagine how the viewers reacted. ©¤ Uh oh ©¤ Here we go again ©¤ The usual UFC ©¤ Argh The screen that had been a deep Parang color just moments ago suddenly went pitch black. Literally plunging into perfect darkness where not even an inch in front could be seen. However, this time it wasn¡¯t Parang who turned off the screen. Parang¡¯s vision had also instantly turned pitch black. It was so dark that she couldn¡¯t even see her own hand right in front of her. No matter how chaotic and random the brightness in the monster layer might be, it¡¯s never this erratic. Whether it¡¯s a monster, an object, or whatever. It means an anomaly has occurred. Viewers who had been following Parang¡¯s broadcasts for a while now know well what it means when her screen goes dark. It¡¯s a signal that some shit is about to go down. And that speculation has proven to be right on the money in most cases, including this time. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s what it is.¡¯ Parang was the first to grasp the situation. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen this.¡¯ Almost simultaneously with her vision turning pitch black, she figured out what kind of monster had appeared, how to deal with it, and even how to use it for the broadcast. Due to the broadcast delay, her perspective was ahead of the viewers¡¯, and her knowledge of monster fishes was far superior. First, since not only the camera but also Parang¡¯s vision had turned pitch black, this wasn¡¯t a mental attack. If it were, a skill would have activated. In other words, the current darkness was a physical phenomenon, like gravity or heat conduction. And when she tried purifying the surrounding water as a test, [ Skill, ¡®Clear Mirror Still Water¡¯ is active. ] ¡®Hmm, I can see clearly.¡¯ She confirmed that she could see her arm very well. This meant that black pigment was dissolved in the water. One monster flashed through her mind. It couldn¡¯t be a more fucked up hunting method. But life is full of unexpected turns. Who is Parang if not a talented individual who excels at using given situations to her advantage? Turning crisis into opportunity! ¡®The broadcast has been lacking a bit of horror lately.¡¯ Calmly thinking thoughts that would outrage others if they heard, she resolved to let our precious viewers experience the feeling of being hunted by ¡®Tenebris¡¯. Tenebris. Latin for darkness. Whoever named it was quite intuitive. Generally, monster fishes that use ¡®darkness¡¯ for hunting can be categorized into two behavioral patterns. One is ambush. Unlike regular deep-sea fish whose eyes have degenerated from living in naturally dark places, many monster fishes living in the monster layer with its erratic brightness rely on vision. This method involves blocking their vision and ambushing from a blind spot. The second is luring. This method involves emitting light in the darkness to lure smaller monster fishes. Even with dolphin-level intelligence, it¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s a lure, but monster fishes are still fish after all. Except for a few special species, they stupidly follow the light. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tenebris belongs to the ¡®luring¡¯ type, but unlike other monster fishes that simply flick a light, its level of luring is quite sophisticated. It gives its prey the feeling of ¡®escaping¡¯ from a dark, black space. ¡°It¡¯s a kind of black pigment like ink. For this type of monster fish, it¡¯s safer to escape the ink first and then catch it from outside.¡± Parang bluffed to the chat window. Of course, while this is the standard method, it doesn¡¯t work for Tenebris. It¡¯s better to stay still and quickly dispatch it when detecting sound. But the chat window, unaware of this fact, was in an uproar, saying things like ¡°Great idea!¡± and ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this dark place!¡± ©¤ I thought she was going to stay still and do a ¡®Feel the cosmic horror¡¯ thing ©¤ The Great Hwang King ©¤ Let¡¯s get out before it comes ¡°Now, if you compare this side and that side, you can see a subtle difference in darkness. Let¡¯s go towards the brighter side.¡± This is where Tenebris¡¯s sophistication shows. It finely controls the amount of ink to the extent that only monster fishes sensitive enough to light to fall for the lure can detect the difference. Parang continued to swim towards the slightly brighter area. And as the surroundings became noticeably brighter as she progressed, the viewers¡¯ expressions also brightened, when suddenly¡­ Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Thump. As if it had never been bright, as if someone had flipped a switch. The surroundings were once again plunged into complete darkness. Only then did Parang turn on the searchlight she had kept off. ¡°Everyone, you¡¯ve just died once.¡± When they came to their senses, they were already inside the monster¡¯s maw. The ¡®thump¡¯ sound was the sound of its mouth closing. Inside, the corpses of monster fishes that had met a similar fate were strewn about, and fragments of what appeared to be ships and airplanes were haphazardly embedded in its mouth, acting like a second set of teeth. ©¤ ? ©¤ ??? ©¤ No way ©¤ Is this a hallucination?? The viewers¡¯ heads were reeling from the unexpected turn of events they hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. Their heads spun again realizing that the entity that had hit them from behind was a fish. Seeing Parang calmly continuing her explanation, they thought, ¡°This woman is at it again,¡± making their heads spin for a third time. ©¤ The sea is fucking dangerous, damn it She had elicited quite desirable reactions in abundance. # Anyway, after all those twists and turns. Finally, at 2.7km below sea level. It was time to face the truth of the Bermuda Triangle. Parang suddenly turned off all the camera screens. ©¤ What the fuck ©¤ What¡¯s with this forced eye-closing ©¤ Open your eyes ©¤ Open your eyes ©¤ Here we go again with this bullshit!!! Unable to accept the sudden change in situation, they grumbled and complained. Once again, they surrendered their right to control their emotions to Parang. ¡°Ah, wait a moment. Let me try to create a dramatic effect, okay?¡± ©¤ Says the woman whose daily life is a drama, now talking about dramatic effects ¡°Oh.¡± Slightly stung. ¡°Ahem! Hmm! Alright. I¡¯ll show you in exactly 15 seconds.¡± ©¤ 15 ©¤ 15 ©¤ 14 Parang slowly and meticulously adjusted her position to reveal the full view of the hive. ¡°Ten¡­ nine¡­ eight¡­¡± If you¡¯ve been observing the characteristics of the hives well until now, you would have noticed that they resemble human artifacts, things from Earth. ¡°Five¡­ four¡­ three¡­¡± However, there¡¯s one point we need to address here. What exactly falls under the category of ¡®things from Earth¡¯? In other words, these ¡®modern artifacts¡¯ that the hive mimics¡­ ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one¡­¡± Are they ¡®modern artifacts¡¯, or are they artifacts of this world, a ¡®modern fantasy¡¯? ¡°Now, this is the truth of the Bermuda Triangle.¡± A massive crack, weapons suspended in mid-air, iron barricades. ¡°This is the Bermuda Hive. We call it the ¡®Gate Defense Line¡¯.¡± Can a ¡®gate¡¯ really be considered part of Earth¡¯s landscape? The Bermuda Hive answered that question with a resounding ¡®yes¡¯. A gate with a diameter of 700 meters appeared before them. Chapter 80: Mad Triangle (7) Chapter 80: Mad Triangle (7)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast The Bermuda Hive looked exactly like a gate blockade scene transported straight from the current Earth. Even the arrangement of the barricades was identical to those used on Earth now. It¡¯s the tactic used in the ¡®Monster Gate Response Manual¡¯ created by Hunter Han Siwoo. Parang remembered the details well, as it was a part she had read with interest. One, a primary barricade made of thick steel is placed around the gate, and nearby, reinforced rubber sheets are stacked to be used as supplementary material in case of emergency. Two, passages for monsters to escape are constructed in the four cardinal directions¡ªeast, west, south, and north¡ªand the monsters that come through these narrow passages are concentratedly attacked by the ¡®Outer Team,¡¯ made up of low-rank hunters and traditional artillery. Three, about three to four high-rank hunters wait on top of the barricades and quickly eliminate any high-risk monsters that the Outer Team can¡¯t handle before withdrawing. Four, the above process is repeated in shifts of three to four until the gate closes. It was certainly ¡®that arrangement¡¯ Parang had seen to the point of tedium. And the viewers, who were tens of times more accustomed to gate suppression than Parang, also recognized this familiar setup. However, they had no mental capacity to pay attention to that. At the sight of the Bermuda Hive that appeared before them, the viewers couldn¡¯t even think to close their mouths, which were wide open in a mix of horror and astonishment. The 700-meter diameter gate was still incessantly spewing out large and small monster fish, and around it, large and small gates were appearing and disappearing every few seconds. Since most of Parang¡¯s viewers were hunters, they could quickly grasp just how insane the scene before them was. In fact, even if an ordinary person, not a hunter, saw this, the result wouldn¡¯t be much different. There were pieces of information Parang had mentioned several times in her broadcasts. ¡°I don¡¯t know when these things started to exist. They were already there when I first entered the sea.¡± The hives and objects had existed for quite a long time. ¡°Hives cannot be destroyed. To be precise, physical intervention is impossible. You can¡¯t even chip off a piece, and you can¡¯t even insert a needle into them.¡± Destruction was impossible. Parang had even demonstrated this herself. So, those things. Those things, which cannot be destroyed, would coexist with humanity on this Earth forever. A 700-meter gate that cannot be destroyed by any means would eternally exist, filling this sea with mysterious giant monsters, and even when it was full, it would continue. Infinitely, infinitely existing and spewing out evil. Just as gravity exists, just as light reflects. Like a natural phenomenon governed by an immense, unchangeable cosmic law. What could a lowly being like a human do in the face of such a colossal disaster? The expressions of those watching the broadcast quickly hardened. The sea is dangerous. It¡¯s not the kind of danger they used to half-jokingly, half-seriously talk about. The sea is terrifying. It¡¯s a different kind of fear from the sudden appearance of disgusting monster fish. They were afraid and terrified, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn¡¯t even dare to try. Now, an indelible, solid image was imprinted in their minds. From now on, whenever they saw the sea, they would vaguely, sometimes vividly, recall it. The unmistakable, unchangeable disaster that existed deep down, clearly, certainly, and forever. They felt suffocated. Their chests felt tight. They felt like they couldn¡¯t just stay still. They felt like they had to do something, anything, to overcome this threat. But what? How? What were they contemplating? There was no answer. They could do nothing. From the beginning, from the very start. Until the end of this world, they would be able to do nothing. ¡®Hmm¡­¡­.¡¯ Parang stroked her chin as she watched the chat window slow down. She thought that those who had been watching her broadcast all this time would be somewhat prepared to accept it. But it seemed it was still a bit early for the viewers. Parang knew well how they felt now. She vividly remembered her own feelings when she first saw this. To some extent, it was true that she had guided the viewers to feel that way. But ending it there was not something Parang wanted. Of course, Parang intended for people to fear the sea and be vigilant, but ultimately, what she desired was people¡¯s happiness. This was a belief Parang had always held. It was also the reason she had saved Shin Yuna without a moment¡¯s hesitation. She had no desire to see people flounder in indescribable fear. So, rather than ¡®The sea will kill me!!¡¯, Parang¡¯s intention was closer to ¡®I am safe on land.¡¯ It¡¯s a similar but distinctly different stance. Therefore, it was only natural that Parang felt the need to reassure them. If she hadn¡¯t thought about how to do that, she wouldn¡¯t have come here. So, what was the method Parang had thought of? What else but the straightforward approach. The way to weaken the fear of an absolute, unchangeable something was simple. Just show that humans could do something against it. If the visual effect was dramatic, even better. And fortunately, there was a perfect comrade who met both conditions. Even lived nearby! Taking advantage of the chaotic atmosphere, Parang quickly texted Diego. Parang: It¡¯s time to come out Parang: . Parang: . Parang: . Parang: . Parang: . Unfortunately, Diego couldn¡¯t check his messages because he was covered in metal from head to toe, so they decided to communicate by sending messages to his phone at regular intervals. Buzz, buzz, buzz buzz buzz. Two quick vibrations, a short pause, then three quick vibrations again. It was a pre-arranged signal. Within less than ten seconds, a mysterious figure in a deep-sea full-body pressure diving suit appeared on Parang¡¯s broadcast screen. Even the viewers, who were feeling down with indescribable emotions, turned their attention to this new figure. ©¤ Who is it? ©¤ What is it? ©¤ Is it a monster fish?? ¡°Calling him a monster fish is a bit harsh, don¡¯t you think?¡± Hmm, it might be a bit understandable. In fact, Parang had tried to attack him the first time they met. Naturally, a 500-meter-tall giant appeared in front of her. It was hard to think he was human. This time, they had agreed that he would appear in his usual size to lessen the shock for the viewers. ¡°Let me introduce you. This is Diego Lopez Martin. My¡­ um, acquaintance. You¡¯ve met another person last time, right?¡± ©¤ Oh, I see. ©¤ The atmosphere is intense. ©¤ I miss Kyosooni. ¡®He does have a good visual impact.¡¯ A giant gate buried in the deep sea, and a deep-sea diver floating in front of it. It had a heavy, gloomy, somewhat mysterious, and poignant atmosphere that Parang, in her full-body suit, could never dream of. ¡®Maybe I should try wearing that next time.¡¯ Parang kept spouting nonsense. Anyway, she had to do what needed to be done. After briefly introducing Diego, Parang got to the main point. ¡°Now, everyone. I understand how you feel looking at that giant gate. I¡¯m a hunter, and you probably are too, so you might feel a depressing fear recalling your experiences facing gates. But.¡± Parang¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to just fear the sea, fear the monster fish and phenomena, and ruin your day. I just want you to feel how safe the ground you stand on is, and stay there.¡± In fact, her expression was always serious. Her intentions never wavered. ¡°So today, I just want you to see what we can do, and not be too afraid.¡± Parang nodded at Diego. Diego nodded back at Parang and started approaching the hive alone. ¡°Let¡¯s watch from a distance.¡± Parang moved far back until Diego was barely visible. ©¤ We can¡¯t see anything from here. ©¤ The host must have something planned. Eventually, as Diego moved further away, even his tiny figure became invisible. Thinking this was enough, Parang sent a signal via text, Rumble, rumble, rumble¡ª With a sound that made the ground tremble from afar, Diego began to grow larger. 10 meters, 20 meters, 50 meters. ©¤ Wow, what¡¯s with the gigantification? ©¤ It¡¯s really huge. ©¤ What¡¯s the highest record on land? ©¤ 67 meters 38 centimeters in Korea. ©¤ Why do you know that so precisely? LOL ©¤ It¡¯s me. ©¤ Whoa. 60 meters, 67 meters 38 centimeters, 100 meters. ©¤ Oh. ©¤ Oh, oh, oh. ©¤ What the heck? ©¤ 150 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters¡­ 500 meters. Diego, now gigantified to his maximum size, stood next to the gate and looked back at Parang with a thud, thud. ¡°Ta-da. How is it?¡± ©¤ Ta-da, my ass. ©¤ How many meters is that??? ©¤ Looks about 500. ©¤ Where did the 67 meters 38 centimeters go? ©¤ Yeah, I¡¯ll die. The human brain is quite cunning; no matter how overwhelming something is, if there¡¯s an opponent standing against it, the original thing gets underestimated. Even though both the original and the opponent are equally enormous and impressive. That¡¯s exactly the case now. The 700-meter gate was certainly terrifying, but with a 500-meter person standing next to it, it seemed¡­ manageable. Just this alone achieved Parang¡¯s original goal. But she didn¡¯t intend to stop there. Roarrrrr¡ª Diego suddenly crouched as if gathering strength. The area vibrated, and an unknown eerie sound echoed wildly, ©¤ Huh?? ©¤ What??? ©¤ What??? The thousands of large and small monster fish that had been lingering around the gate were suddenly drawn towards Diego as if being sucked in. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Now, you can feel reassured, right?¡± Parang smiled confidently. Diego¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t limited to gigantification. He had other skills, of course. The monster fish that were being sucked towards him with tremendous force, Bang! Boom! Boom! Started to burst apart in a gruesome manner. Blood, flesh, magic stones, and white light scattered everywhere. Parang swam hard to avoid being sucked in herself. ¡°Ugh, if only it could distinguish friend from foe, it would be a really great skill!!!!¡± Still, a smile spread across her face. It was probably because she instinctively felt it. That she had instilled more than just fear in people today. Chapter 81: Promise for the Future (1) Chapter 81: Promise for the Future (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°Alright! That concludes today¡¯s broadcast. In Korea, it¡¯s¡­ ah, 11 PM now. Have a good night. This has been Yu Parang.¡± ©¤Good night ©¤Bye bye ©¤Good night With her now-familiar sign-off, Parang ended the broadcast. Even she could tell that her broadcasts were becoming more skillful lately. No matter what the subject, the feeling of moving forward was quite pleasant. A faint smile spread across her face as she looked at the darkened screen. Tap tap. Diego, who was behind her, tapped Parang¡¯s shoulder. Parang quietly turned around and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ll search alone. You must be very tired, go home.¡± Parang also tapped Diego¡¯s shoulder. Normally, she would have asked for help in recovering the Slayers¡¯ bodies, but right now, Diego¡¯s body must be under an unimaginable amount of strain. It¡¯s the penalty for using skills while in a giant form. It¡¯s best to send him home to rest. He¡¯ll probably be aching all over for about four days. ¡®I should send him some health food later.¡¯ After Diego left, Parang stretched underwater and started surveying the surroundings. ¡®The Bermuda Hive is quite small. I should be able to find it quickly.¡¯ And so, some time passed, And more time passed. After a considerable amount of time had passed. ¡°Nnngh¡­¡± Parang made a cute sound, crossing her arms in frustration. ¡®No matter how much I search, I can¡¯t find it¡­¡¯ It¡¯s been four hours since she started searching. The Bermuda Hive is quite small to begin with, and nearly half of its volume is occupied by the gate. This amount of time should be more than enough to search the entire hive. Yet, she couldn¡¯t even find a shadow of the body, let alone the body itself. ¡®At this point, should I consider it not here¡­?¡¯ Parang, who had a pretty good track record in body searches so far, expected to find it without much trouble this time too, but it seems God doesn¡¯t always smile upon her. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ God is dead. Not by Nietzsche, but by Hunter Han Siwoo. And the newly deified Hunter Han Siwoo was also dragged into the sea and died. If that eyeball in the sea was God¡­ ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Parang thought it might be better if that one didn¡¯t smile at her. Well, anyway. Come to think of it, there wasn¡¯t really a God to smile at Parang in the first place. ¡®At this point, it really seems like it¡¯s not here.¡¯ This was Parang¡¯s conclusion after even checking inside the barrels of the ritual weapons piled up next to the gate. If it¡¯s not found after searching this much, it¡¯s not there. Just as Parang was about to give up and head home, ¡®Huh?¡¯ Parang¡¯s eyes caught a shape that was both very familiar and strange at the same time. A peculiar appearance that made it hard to tell if it was a fish or not, like the epitome of the uncanny valley, as if it was left unfinished. A bizarre T-shaped handle monster fish. It was Capulus. ¡®Why is that here¡­?¡¯ Well, actually, it¡¯s natural for a monster fish to be underwater, but still. Parang slowly approached Capulus. Usually, she always had urgent matters, or was tired, or annoyed, or for whatever reason, didn¡¯t feel like observing it properly. Today is different. It¡¯s as if some strange aversion in her heart had disappeared. So Parang approached Capulus thinking, ¡°That¡¯s right! Today is the day all your secrets will be revealed, you rascal. I¡¯m going to uncover everything from your family relations to your friendships, teacher-student relationships, and financial ties!¡± And then¡­ Whirr- Capulus rolled its eyes once to look at Parang, Swoosh- It turned around and started moving at a speed that was neither slow nor fast, but somehow very ambiguous. ¡®Huh??¡¯ Seeing this, a huge question mark appeared above Parang¡¯s head with a bang. What kind of movement is that? It¡¯s not running away, nor is it attacking. It seems like it¡¯s trying to pretend it didn¡¯t see her and move away¡­ but no, it clearly saw her. They made eye contact. After pondering for a bit, Parang made a decision, ¡®Should I follow it?¡¯ For now, it seemed there was nothing to lose by following it. If things went well, she might find its habitat¡ªno, since it¡¯s not a living creature, that expression wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. Rather, even if it sounds a bit odd, it would be more accurate to call it the place of manufacture, or perhaps the place of origin¡ªand if not, she could just follow it around and observe. Since it was revealed that Capulus is not a living being, the most plausible hypothesis proposed by Vertea is that it¡¯s a ¡®byproduct of a higher life form¡¯. So if Parang keeps following Capulus, she might even encounter that higher life form. Even in the unlikely scenario that she was being lured right now, Parang had the confidence to single-handedly crush everything and escape gracefully. And so, Parang and Capulus¡¯s awkward joint swim began. About 5 minutes later. ¡®W-What¡­ is this¡­?¡¯ Parang was able to discover the corpse of Charlotte Aira, the ninth Slayer. Her body was placed in a narrow space between a small depression in the ground and a barricade. The gap was so small that even Capulus couldn¡¯t enter, so it¡¯s no wonder Parang hadn¡¯t found it before. Parang looked back and forth between the corpse and Capulus with a quite shocked expression. ¡®What on earth is going on here¡­?¡¯ Regardless, Capulus stared blankly at Parang in front of the corpse, then, Woong- It turned around and leisurely disappeared somewhere. ¡°No, why?¡± Only then did Parang understand why the protagonists in web novels often talk to themselves. When faced with an utterly bewildering situation, one can¡¯t help but speak without realizing it. Parang began to chew over what had just happened, completely disregarding the corpse. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In her mind, well over a hundred possibilities poured out, but they only left hundreds of questions before disappearing again. None of them became meaningful deductions. No, except for just one. ¡®Did it¡­ help me?¡¯ ¡°Capulus? Me?¡± ¡­Why? If you just look at the appearance, it¡¯s perfectly like that, but, no, why? More importantly, how? As far as Parang knows, no deep-sea creature has the intelligence to figure out that Parang is looking for the Slayers¡¯ corpses, find both the corpse and Parang, and then guide Parang to the corpse. If there were a creature with that level of intelligence¡­ ¡®Ugh, my head hurts.¡¯ Then the situation would become quite complicated. The theory that ¡®humans made it and are controlling it¡¯ doesn¡¯t make sense. The only one who knows that Parang is looking for the Slayers¡¯ corpses is Sailo, and Parang doesn¡¯t think Silo would have made something like this. ¡®Could it be the government?¡¯ Unlike the Association, where information is transparent thanks to Seo Sunwoo¡¯s tight grip, Parang doesn¡¯t know anything about the World Government. Come to think of it, she realized she hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the World Government¡¯s movements lately. In fact, it was the World Government that really threatened Parang. Well, it¡¯s not really a big deal, as there¡¯s been no news from the World Government lately. They used to send assassination teams and such, but nowadays there¡¯s none of that either. Judging by their outward appearance, they seem to know nothing about the deep sea or monster fishs. But¡­ still, the idea that the World Government created Capulus to help Parang find the corpses¡­ ¡®That¡¯s too much of a delusion, even for me.¡¯ That¡¯s going a bit too far. The conclusion is, I don¡¯t know! ¡®The mysteries just keep piling up¡­¡¯ Parang looked at the corpse in front of her with an expression that now seemed bored. ¡®This is quite surprising.¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s corpse was surprisingly well-preserved. Not only were there no visible wounds, but even her clothes were intact. If she had seen this anywhere other than the deep sea floor, she would have mistaken it for someone just sleeping. ¡®What if¡­ what if she¡¯s still alive¡­?¡¯ Remembering past events, Parang approached cautiously, tiptoeing, but¡­ Thump thump. It¡¯s just a corpse. Parang pondered for a moment whether this was fortunate or unfortunate, but concluded it was unfortunate since being alive is better than being dead. As she was tending to the corpse and glancing at the face, she thought, ¡°That Han Siwoo, he really was born with luck with women.¡± The beauty emanating from her face, piercing through even glasses, that evil item that mars the beauty of all things in the world. A slender figure and arms stretching out refreshingly. And at the end of those arms, beautiful, delicate hands clenched into fists¡­ ¡®Huh, fists?¡¯ Finding it strange, Parang gently opened the clenched hand, and inside was a ring. A beautiful ring with golden threads intricately flowing inside a transparent band. This is a situation where even a passing monster fish would understand that an artifact has been found. As Parang once again rummaged through the library in her head, wondering what on earth this could be, recalling her knowledge of the original work, ¡®Ah.¡¯ She knows what it is, but doesn¡¯t really know what it is. What that means is, she knows the name of this artifact, but doesn¡¯t know what function it has. Hunter Han Siwoo only created ¡®rings¡¯ once throughout the entire original work. It was the day before his ascension. Parang doesn¡¯t know all the artifacts that appeared in that long novel. However, there¡¯s one sentence that Hunter Han Siwoo often said. ¡°Someday, when we overcome all these trials and reach the conclusion, that¡¯s when we¡¯ll make the rings.¡± And as far as Parang knows, Hunter Han Siwoo kept this promise, and only on the eve of his ascension did he create rings and give them to all the female characters. The name he gave to the rings was ¡®Happy Ending¡¯. It¡¯s a sad thing to think about what happened after that. ¡®Come to think of it, I think the Slayers might have been wearing something like rings on their fingers.¡¯ She can¡¯t remember exactly. A transparent ring with flowing golden threads. It¡¯s not something that would be visible during intense combat, is it? Parang resolved to take a closer look this time. The problem is that the function of this ring was never described in the story even once. Parang is a case of reincarnation right after seeing the ending, so she didn¡¯t get to see the speculations of the reader community. It¡¯s truly a regrettable situation. Parang, who had been lost in her thoughts for a moment, rubbed her eyes. After all, she too was a reader of the novel, wasn¡¯t she? Remembering the poignant ending makes her nose tingle. ¡®Right. To ensure that all of that wasn¡¯t in vain.¡¯ She has to do what needs to be done. She gathered Charlotte¡¯s corpse and rose to the surface. Chapter 82: Promise to the Future (2) Chapter 82: Promise to the Future (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°Is this¡­ really a corpse¡­?¡± ¡°Even to me, the state of preservation is unusually good.¡± This is a conversation between Parang and a Silo researcher in an underground laboratory in Seoul. The half-bald researcher seemed quite surprised looking at the corpse in front of him. Parang understood to some extent. The level of preservation was so good that it was hard to believe it was actually a corpse. After observing the corpse for a while, the researcher said to Parang, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Hunter Yu Parang, but there¡¯s a chance you might have been mistaken. No matter how I look at it, this seems to be in a state of suspended animation, or even just sleeping.¡± ¡°I understand. Just please thoroughly examine it and then hand it over to us.¡± ¡°Alright. The examination itself shouldn¡¯t take too long. About three hours should¡­¡± The researcher glanced at the corpse and corrected himself. ¡°Well, it might take up to four hours or so. Honestly, in my 40 years in this field, I¡¯ve never seen a corpse like this.¡± They¡¯d have to wait four hours anyway to gather Oceanos. Parang nodded. ¡°Okay. Take as long as you need, just make sure to confirm it thoroughly.¡± ¡°Ah, understood. And¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The researcher lowered his voice, as if about to say something important. ¡°About that artifact.¡± The combination of the researcher¡¯s lab coat and serious tone was quite impactful, causing Parang¡¯s voice to also lower slightly. It¡¯s because they¡¯re out of the water. ¡°Ah, yes. You mean the ¡®evidence¡¯, right?¡± Separately, Parang had already been contacted by Silo about the completion of the evidence¡¯s repair. They had requested to view the memories contained inside right after the dive. ¡°That artifact, although we say we ¡®repaired¡¯ it, the process was quite unusual.¡± ¡°No, which part exactly¡­¡± ¡°To be precise, it feels more like it was ¡®unsealed¡¯ rather than ¡®fixed.¡¯ So, this artifact basically¡­¡± As the man rambled on, Parang¡¯s expression became increasingly confused. Energy this, wave that, what? Choco Pie? She had no connection to such things in her past life or current one. It¡¯s understandable that she¡¯s bewildered. Fortunately, the male researcher wasn¡¯t completely oblivious, as he quickly stopped his explanation and apologized. ¡°Ah, I got carried away with the academic talk. I¡¯m sorry. To put it simply, this artifact called ¡®evidence¡¯ wasn¡¯t so much broken as it was¡­ sealed, that¡¯s the feeling we got.¡± Finally understanding a bit, Parang asked, ¡°Sealed¡­ you say?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you remember when we contacted you last time, saying ¡®four days left until repair completion¡¯?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Right after we contacted you, something, a very powerful flow, emerged from inside the artifact.¡± ¡°Just suddenly? Without any warning?¡± ¡°Yes. At first, we didn¡¯t think much of it. Artifacts often do such things. But as we continued working, we felt something was clearly different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you meant by the seal earlier, right?¡± ¡°Correct. We had perfectly repaired every part except for that flow, but we got stuck right at that point.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Yes. But what¡¯s more suspicious is that we definitely didn¡¯t break that seal ourselves.¡± Even Parang was a bit surprised at this point. They didn¡¯t break it themselves? What, did they rub a lamp or something? ¡°No, what exactly does that mean¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. Something like a seal that showed no signs of breaking suddenly just¡­ came undone on its own. As if the right time had come, so to speak.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet either. In any case, please be careful when you look into it.¡± Parang¡¯s expression turned serious. Another, another, another mystery. Why are there so many unknowns? Since starting this job, not a single thing has fallen neatly into place. ¡®Ah, there was just one thing.¡¯ Finding out that Natsuko was a crazy bitch. To think that the only certain truth is something like this. The path of a hero is long and arduous. ¡°Hmm, I understand for now. As you probably already know, it¡¯s really dangerous, so absolutely do not open it or anything before we do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware. I wish you the best of luck.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Parang left the laboratory with a complicated expression. # Basement of a Silo-owned building in Seoul, South Korea. Six men and women gathered around a massive tank. Everyone gazed at the beautiful woman¡¯s corpse contained within the tank. Charlotte¡¯s body was, to put it simply, indeed a corpse. According to the lab, it was under some kind of ¡®preservation spell¡¯, a type of magic that prevents decay or damage. It¡¯s not entirely unreasonable. In fact, among the Slayers, there were quite a few skilled in spellcraft, including Charlotte. Vertea was the first to break the silence. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°They say humans are fickle creatures, becoming rapidly desensitized after repeating the same thing just a few times.¡± ¡°Who the hell said that nonsense? If I meet them, I¡¯ll twist their mouth.¡± Elvira clicked her tongue and spoke in a slightly irritated tone. ¡°Renowned biologists said it. There are tens of thousands of papers on it.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because they¡¯ve never encountered a monster that shatters status windows in the memories of a person who died 4km under the sea.¡± ¡°Hmm, you have a point.¡± After that, they exchanged some trivial conversation. Talk about recent happenings, sudden criticisms, dinner plans¡­ If one were to point out that this seems too light-hearted for a matter on which the fate of the world hangs, they would have something to say. If they don¡¯t do this, they feel like they¡¯ll go crazy from the tension. The image of what they saw in the last dive is still vivid in their minds. If you listen carefully to their voices, you might notice a slight tremor. They were clearly afraid. It¡¯s not that their sense of mission to save the world has been tarnished. They are still firmly committed to protecting people. Still, feeling tense, shaky, and scared is unavoidable. They¡¯re just mustering up courage. Eventually, the small talk died down, and finally, no one spoke. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Parang broke the heavy silence. Then, with a splash, all members of Oceanos dove into the water. # Charlotte Aira. A renowned biologist, physicist, chemist, monster researcher¡­ and so on and so forth¡­ She¡¯s a typical genius scientist heroine character that appears in hunter stories. However, her importance in the Slayers¡¯ death incident is quite significant, as it was Aira who interpreted the scroll obtained by Hunter Han Siwoo and designed the ascension ritual. Moreover, the condition of her corpse is the best among those seen so far. There should be quite a bit of information we can obtain. And then, there¡¯s the timing of Charlotte¡¯s transfer. During the Slayers¡¯ battle, Charlotte and two others were transferred to the Hive almost simultaneously. In other words, all three were knocked out at once. And according to Oceanos¡¯s deduction, it¡¯s highly likely that the ¡®eye¡¯ appeared at that moment. This means we might be able to see the most crucial moment of the battle. And we also need to examine the ring in question. ¡°¡­These are the key points we need to focus on during this dive.¡± Xiao said in a slightly trembling but still solemn voice. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to dive twice. We need to see everything properly in one go.¡± There¡¯s a high probability that the ¡®eye¡¯ will appear in the memory, and if so, it could put a great strain on Xiao, the caster of the dive, like last time. So the strategy is to get it over with cleanly in one go if possible. Since their colleague¡¯s safety was at stake, the others didn¡¯t complain about the lengthy explanation and listened attentively with a serious attitude. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Soon, with a splash, their consciousnesses plunged into the memory. # Whaaa-!! ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on suddenly?! Why is it so bright?!¡± Everyone, expecting the dark scenery of the sea, expressed surprise at the suddenly appearing bright light. Light, light, light. Everywhere they looked, there was only light. This isn¡¯t light from an explosion, weapon, or skill. Having lived their entire lives with explosions, weapons, and skills, they clearly know the difference. Then what is this light? Bright, yellow, white, a gracious light full of vitality. It¡¯s even questionable if this is really underwater. ¡®Wait. Not the sea?¡¯ Something flashed through Parang¡¯s mind, and she quickly asked Xiao. ¡°X-Xiao. When is this memory from?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ June 11th. 19:42 in Coordinated Universal Time.¡± 19:42. In Korean time, it¡¯s 21:42, or 9:42 PM. And June 11th. Parang had never forgotten this date for a moment. On that day, her fate and the world¡¯s had been turned 180 degrees. ¡°¡­The ascension.¡± That¡¯s right. On the evening of June 11th, the Slayers were ascending. Then this light they¡¯re seeing now is¡­ ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s showing us from this point¡­?¡± It was unbelievable, but it was true. Charlotte Aira¡¯s corpse was presenting Oceanos with memories from the moment of ascension. Chapter 83: Promise to the Future (3) Chapter 83: Promise to the Future (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast The Ascension Ceremony. Just as everyone in the world knows that chain letters originated in England, it is abundantly clear that Yu Parang¡¯s tumultuous life story began with this very Ascension Ceremony. ¡®Come to think of it, I might have been too disinterested.¡¯ Nevertheless, it¡¯s also an undeniable fact that Parang had known far too little about the Ascension Ceremony until now. But well, Parang has her own justifications. After all, wasn¡¯t the information given to her too scarce to begin with? ¡®Let¡¯s just be glad that I can learn a little about it now, even if it¡¯s late.¡¯ Not falling into negativity at times like this is another of Parang¡¯s strengths. She was now watching the Slayers in the midst of their ascension. Looking down, she could catch glimpses of the sea between the clusters of light. This means the ascension has just begun. ¡®So, soon¡­¡¯ Crack, crackle. ¡®This scene, as expected.¡¯ The bodies of all the Slayers begin to crack and split, with brilliant golden light flowing out from between the fissures. It¡¯s the awakening of the flesh. Since this part was included in the Slayers¡¯ calculations, they didn¡¯t show any particular signs of surprise. ¡°The feeling is quite peculiar¡­¡± And their artifacts, too, crack and split before plunging into the sea with a splash. This was also expected, so there¡¯s no big surprise. ¡°What a shame. I had grown fond of it.¡± ¡°Aira, I didn¡¯t know you could get attached to objects.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an object, it¡¯s a gift. One you made.¡± Hunter Han Siwoo gave an awkward smile. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And so, the development that everyone knew continued. The Slayers ascended higher and higher. ¡°Oh, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your current quest, it¡¯s ¡®Ascend¡¯, right?¡± Hunter Han Siwoo glanced at the air before answering. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Then what does it say for the reward? I just realized I never asked.¡± Han Siwoo¡¯s [Great Journey] is a personal skill that gives rewards for completing sequentially given quests, and penalties for failing them. It¡¯s the last quest to appear in the story, and also the last piece of original knowledge Parang knows. Though she can¡¯t trust it much now that she knows the original has changed. ¡°It just says ¡®???¡¯.¡± ¡°I see. How novel.¡± Fortunately or not, this part is the same as the original. Russell chimed in with a question. ¡°What¡¯s this? Shouldn¡¯t you be a bit surprised when question marks suddenly appear on a quest that was clearly defined before? Why are you reacting like that?¡± Parang kindly answered. ¡°Question marks often appear for important quests. It¡¯s not an unprecedented phenomenon. In fact, it happens quite frequently.¡± It was the same when reading the original. Among fans, the derogatory term ¡®SAFQ¡¯ (Shit Another F*cking Question mark) was often used. ¡°I see. That¡¯s a really annoying skill. But how do you know all this?¡± ¡®Oops.¡¯ ¡°Uh¡­ Silo told me.¡± ¡°Those guys seem to know all sorts of things. Anyway, let¡¯s keep watching.¡± The Slayers, too, didn¡¯t seem to feel much about the reappearance of the question mark, with only a brief stir among them. And then, about 20 minutes later. The Slayers completely broke through the clouds and rose above the sky. Being the sky of a modern fantasy world, the scene that unfolded was quite different from Parang¡¯s home planet Earth. First off, there were two layers of clouds. The cloud that the Slayers had just broken through was below, and above was a golden cloud layer that exuded an unmistakably sacred atmosphere. The lower clouds are engulfed in blue and red flames, burning fiercely, and occasionally blue and red pillars of fire shoot up, connecting the upper and lower layers. Between them, eight-winged golden dragons and house-sized eagles with five heads, along with all sorts of sacred beasts, fly about, while from the golden clouds above, lightning strikes seven times in each fleeting moment. Humans have named this place ¡®Purgatory¡¯, and ordinary people don¡¯t even think of ascending above it. Due to this hellish environment, it¡¯s virtually impossible to launch space vehicles except for Silo. Also, the Slayers¡¯ boss battle that wasn¡¯t quite a boss battle took place here. ¡°To think we¡¯d come here again. And so soon¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a week, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so fast that there¡¯s no time for nostalgia.¡± They giggle and exchange jokes. Parang felt a sense of regret watching this. After all, it was a story she had loved. And then, up and up again. Finally, the Slayers reached just below the golden clouds. At last, they passed through the clouds and¡­ Whoa- The space above the golden clouds was revealed. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s worthy of being called heaven.¡± Above the golden clouds, paradise unfolded. In the center stood a mountain-like palace made of gold and marble, while apple trees with platinum trunks and golden leaves grew here and there, and between the clouds, pure white milk and golden honey gushed forth and receded repeatedly. Clear, bright bell sounds rang out occasionally, and glass rabbits, doves, deer, and squirrels frolicked happily on the clouds, while looking up, countless stars and galaxies seemed ready to pour down, embedded in the sky. However, there were no gods or angels anywhere. That¡¯s because the Slayers had killed them all. And according to their expectations, the ascension should have ended here. But as we well know, the ascension did not stop there. At first, they had imagined a happy life in paradise, but as the ascension didn¡¯t stop, they gradually began to realize something was amiss. ¡°Aira.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°By our calculations, we should have stopped by now, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m quite surprised too.¡± ¡°The ways of the world, how nothing ever resolves so easily. I suppose the sins of my past life must have been quite great.¡± The woman in priestess attire shook her head with her eyes closed. Regardless, the ascension showed no signs of stopping, and the speed of ascent only increased. Eventually, they ventured into space, finally confirming with their own eyes that the Earth was not dinosaur-shaped. By this point, everyone realized that something had gone wrong. ¡°This is bad. We don¡¯t even have our weapons.¡± ¡°No need for discussion. Whatever comes, we¡¯ll just cut it down.¡± ¡°Why is everyone so pessimistic? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re guaranteed to have a fight.¡± ¡°There¡¯s this thing called statistics. Usually, when something goes wrong, fighting whatever appears in front of us tends to solve it.¡± The Slayers all completed their battle preparations. Though they weren¡¯t sure what had gone wrong, they anticipated a battle soon. Well, it¡¯s not that they¡¯re muscle-heads or battle maniacs, it¡¯s just the path they¡¯ve walked. Given the genre, after all. While the causes of problems varied, the solutions always culminated in battle. And then, their vision suddenly went dark. ¡°It¡¯s coming¡­!¡± After a moment of silence. ¡°What¡­!¡± ¡°This, what¡­!¡± ¡°E-Everyone, stay calm!!¡± Russell, unable to contain his curiosity, asked again. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the situation now?¡± ¡°Probably after their vision went dark, they were transferred into water. Their vision is still dark, but they can feel they¡¯re in water, so they¡¯re panicking.¡± Vertea deduced clearly. While Oceanos couldn¡¯t feel it since tactile sensations weren¡¯t shared, the Slayers must have realized something had changed, going from space to suddenly being in water. ¡°Then why is their vision still dark?¡± ¡°Think back. Remember when we saw Alexandra¡¯s memories? The place where the Slayers were first transferred was inside that mysterious pit.¡± That was certainly true. ¡°Even so, how could the ascension ceremony lead directly into that damned pit? It¡¯s obvious to anyone that they¡¯ve fallen right into a trap.¡± If that¡¯s the case, it certainly explains why their vision is dark now. ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching for now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The memory began to play again. ¡°Seems we¡¯ve been transferred into water. Everyone, stay alert. Let¡¯s gather first, then slowly ascend.¡± Hunter Han Siwoo calmly gave instructions. The others also skillfully positioned themselves, slowly closing the gaps between each other. In the midst of this. Kuguuuuuuuung ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaah-¡± The entire area shook violently, filled with an eerie sound that could hardly be thought to come from any living being. Probably the entire pit was vibrating and making noise. As the entire space trembled and screamed, even the Slayers seemed bewildered. While sudden changes in situation were one thing, this had clearly crossed a line. As they were in chaos and confusion, someone spoke. ¡°Siwoo, look up!!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Brrrrr- A bubble, created by someone somewhere, rose straight up. As they turned their gaze there, they could see a tiny light leaking in from above. ¡°Do you see that up there? It¡¯s likely to be the way out!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Everyone! Let¡¯s head that way for now!¡± The Slayers swam towards the source of the leaking light. ¡°Amateurs.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Russell and Elvira clicked their tongues. Light seen in the sea should never be trusted. How naive of them to follow it. Parang was about to express disappointment at this part¡­ when. ¡®Wait a minute, this.¡¯ Isn¡¯t this a case of a reincarnator belittling the original protagonists? ¡®T-That¡¯s not allowed!!¡¯ As far as Parang knew, no character who had taken such an approach had ever met a good end. Parang, barely managing to keep her mouth shut, praised herself for her remarkable self-control. Chapter 84: Promise to the Future (4) Chapter 84: Promise to the Future (4)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast The memories continued, and the Slayers were swimming rapidly to get out of the pit, following the light. ¡°Olivia!! Above!!¡± ¡°Krggh, krgigiik!! Kiieeeeeeek!!!!¡± ¡°Ugh-!!¡± Kururururu!! A stone pillar that shot up from mid-air instantly burst the aberrant that was charging at terrifying speed towards the woman wearing a witch¡¯s hat. ¡°Phew¡­ Thanks, Siwoo.¡± Han Siwoo didn¡¯t open his mouth to reply, only nodding his head slightly. Kuduududuk-!! Kwaduduk!! Tueong!!! As expected of a protagonist, even in this chaotic and sudden situation, he was maintaining his composure while protecting the Slayers and personally clearing a path. This was because the inside of the pit was truly pitch-black, leaving several Slayers without dark vision abilities exposed to vulnerable situations. Alexandra, in particular, who had lost almost all of her abilities upon entering the water, was even more so. Kuduududuk-!! Kwaduduk!! Tueong!!! Stone pillars, iron bars, and logs were springing out from all directions at a rate of four or five per second, accurately striking the aberrants targeting the Slayers. ¡°Huff, huff, thanks, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Just a little further ahead!!¡± At last, the light that had been visible from far away grew closer and closer, until finally it was near enough to clearly recognize as the exit. Shuaaaak-! And so, without much trouble, Han Siwoo¡¯s group successfully managed to escape the ¡®pit¡¯, gaining a moment to catch their breath. Outside was a sea with a slightly bright blue tint. ¡°It¡¯s certainly hard to think of this as Earth¡¯s ocean.¡± Xiao muttered under his breath. It was true. The surroundings were completely flat, except for the hole the Slayers had just emerged from. It was a smooth, flat bottom so level that you could see the horizon. While this was a terrain sometimes seen in the aberrant layer, the Slayers would never have come here before. If you didn¡¯t know better, you might believe it was another planet. ¡°Phew, huaaah¡­¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t make heads or tails of this. What on earth is going on¡­¡± The mechanic, Marian, grumbled as she sprawled out in the water. ¡°It¡¯s quite confusing¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. What in the world is this, how did it happen.¡± As the urgent situation passed, the Slayers who could now look back on their circumstances gathered closely, putting their heads together. Among them, the one who drew by far the most attention was the protagonist of the memory, Charlotte Eira. As she was the person most directly and heavily involved with the ascension ritual. ¡°Charlotte, what¡¯s going on here, really?¡± ¡°That damn robe-wearer. He must have been waiting for a chance to cause trouble.¡± ¡°Um, uh, it would be better not to fight, please¡­¡± While a small commotion arose for a moment, Parang and Oceanos were able to focus on other things during that time. ¡°Hey, can you see it now? This person called Charlotte, and who was that? The green-haired one.¡± ¡°Alexandra.¡± ¡°Right. Look at their right ring fingers. It¡¯s faint, but definitely there.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡± It was the task of finding the ¡®rings¡¯, one of the points of question. Things that weren¡¯t visible before because they were focusing only on ¡®what the Slayers encountered¡¯ like the pit and the aberrant swarms in other memories, not on the ¡®Slayers¡¯ themselves, were now becoming visible. Indeed, upon closer inspection, all of the Slayers were clearly wearing those transparent rings named ¡®Happy Ending¡¯. ¡°But there are no other artifacts?¡± ¡°Yeah. Hmm¡­¡± But as Elvira pointed out, apart from the rings, no artifacts like earrings, necklaces, shields, or swords were visible. ¡°I guess it¡¯s natural since they dropped them in the sea?¡± ¡°But during the battle, everyone was using them just fine. Except for Han Siwoo, that is.¡± ¡°That will probably come up if we keep following the memory.¡± ¡°Then why did the rings fall into the sea?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a possibility they¡¯re not artifacts.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Certainly, if that were the case, it would make sense. If the rings didn¡¯t fall while all the artifacts were falling into the sea, it¡¯s probably because they weren¡¯t artifacts. Parang kept that possibility in mind for now. ¡°Since we¡¯re looking anyway, let¡¯s observe carefully. Who knows if there might be something else besides the rings.¡± That made sense too. Everyone agreed and began observing, pausing the memory at a good angle. In the midst of this, Parang discovered one anomalous point. ¡°Huh? Guys, that.¡± ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± ¡°Hunter Han Siwoo, inside his cloak at the waist, can you see that?¡± ¡°Hmm, something seems to be shining, but it¡¯s too dark to see clearly.¡± ¡°Is it a sword?¡± ¡°No. The shape is a bit off for a sword¡­¡± Indeed, something shiny could be seen hanging from Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s waist, inside his cloak. While the other Oceanos had difficulty recognizing it due to being perfectly hidden by the cloak and its ambiguous shape, Parang, having been a painter in a past life, was no stranger to observing objects. She could instantly recognize what it was. And accordingly, Parang¡¯s voice hardened. ¡°It¡¯s a lens.¡± ¡°Huh? A lens?¡± ¡°Out of nowhere, suddenly a lens? What do you mean?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a lens. The kind mainly used in cameras for live broadcasting.¡± Painters are, by nature, as familiar with cameras as photographers or broadcast writers. Parang, too, knew a lot about cameras and had more knowledge in this area than most. At those words, not just Parang¡¯s but everyone¡¯s expressions hardened. ¡°Live¡­ broadcast, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°Then, wait a moment. All of this¡­¡± ¡°It means someone other than us was watching.¡± ¡°Who on earth¡­?¡± Combining the facts Parang had discovered so far, there was only one candidate. ¡°¡­The government.¡± While it¡¯s unclear how they managed to give Han Siwoo a camera and how it¡¯s related to the ascension ritual, there was one thing for certain. ¡°They really seemed like mad people. Suddenly trying to build an aquarium inside the government building, or screaming while spraying water in the corridors.¡± The entire upper echelon of the world government was collectively entranced by something. And the intensity of the enchantment was so strong that the symptoms spread from just a few victims. Considering all these facts, the one watching the situation through Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s camera is a high-ranking government official. This makes everything fall into place. They were watching the Slayers¡¯ movements and fell victim to the mental attack of that eye. ¡®But why? How? Who? Since when??¡¯ However, that¡¯s as far as it goes. Countless questions sprout again, one after another. How much did the world government know? Why was Han Siwoo given a live broadcast camera? For what purpose? Why? How come? ¡°Phew¡­¡± Parang felt momentarily dizzy. Good grief, every time one question is solved, dozens more pop up in succession. It¡¯s absolutely maddening. ¡°In times like these, it¡¯s much better to exclude speculation, collect only factual information, record it, and then piece it together later. Let¡¯s just note ¡®Hunter Han Siwoo had a live broadcast camera at his waist¡¯ and move on.¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be better¡­¡± After that, they tried to find other peculiarities among the Slayers for a while, but apart from the rings and the camera, there wasn¡¯t much else to discover. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll play it again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The memory continued, and the Slayers¡¯ quarrel had already quieted down. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s not blame Charlotte too much. There¡¯s nothing to gain by blaming her right now, and it¡¯s never too late to do anything after we resolve this whole situation.¡± With Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s mediation, the briefly tense atmosphere subsided, turning into one of working together to overcome the crisis. As expected of a protagonist, there didn¡¯t seem to be an option to fall into despair. From Oceanos¡¯ perspective, this was a good thing. The amount of information was already overwhelming, and if internal strife had broken out among the Slayers on top of that, they might have really lost it. But how cold this world is. Instead of fighting, the Slayers shocked Oceanos in a different way. ¡°Oh, right. Siwoo.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What does your quest say right now?¡± Han Siwoo¡¯s expression briefly turned very cold and rigid. It was really just for a moment, so fleeting that most didn¡¯t notice, but Parang was different. Thanks to analyzing and drawing hundreds of human expressions in his past life. ¡®Huh? Just now¡­¡¯ She alone could clearly catch the expression that flashed across Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s face. But it was truly just a fleeting, subtle expression of emotion, so even Parang stopped at thinking ¡®He must be having a hard time¡¯ and didn¡¯t delve deeper. And to begin with, there was no room to delve deeper into that. Because the conversation that followed was so shocking. ¡°You¡¯re right, I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Let me check.¡± He gestured in the air for a moment, then spoke with a slightly bewildered tone. ¡°¡­It says ¡®Find Oceanos.¡¯¡± Chapter 85: Promise to the Future (5) Chapter 85: Promise to the Future (5)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°Wait a minute. Wait, wait.¡± At Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s sudden outburst, everyone was quite taken aback and requested to pause the screen. Although they were organizations that had reached their peak in the sea and on land respectively, it could be said that there was virtually no interaction between them. While Parang intentionally avoided it, one might wonder why the other members didn¡¯t. There were several reasons for this. First, the issue of timing. This is actually the biggest factor. If we roughly outline the timeline of Oceanos and the Slayers, we can see that their time axes are intertwined in an almost exquisite manner. Summer 2018, six years ago from now. 19-year-old Yu Parang, one month after her awakening, meets Diego and Vertea in the waters off Pohang, quickly becomes friends with them, and forms Oceanos. Half a year later, Hunter Han Siwoo awakens, makes a brief splash in the news as an S-class personal skill holder, and then registers with the association as a C-class hunter. A year after that, a year and a half after Oceanos was formed, the seven members are complete. Two months later, Hunter Han Siwoo breaks the record for the fastest S-class promotion, earning the title of ¡®Supernova¡¯. Up to this point, Oceanos was essentially no different from a underwater hometown association, so any connection with Han Siwoo was out of the question. Han Siwoo didn¡¯t even know they existed, and to Oceanos, Han Siwoo was nothing more or less than ¡®a hunter who often appears in the news¡¯. And then another year and a half passes, 3 years since Oceanos was formed, 2.5 years since Han Siwoo¡¯s awakening. Hunter Han Siwoo steadily follows his path as a protagonist, starting to make his name known worldwide, and the high-risk gate specialized strike team ¡®Slayers¡¯ is launched to the world with five members. Meanwhile, on Oceanos¡¯ side, an unprecedented event occurs where Alice Melville is captured by a Titan and dragged to the bottom of the sea. Oceanos goes berserk, scouring every ocean in the world for about a year, consumed by madness. Naturally, Hunter Han Siwoo wasn¡¯t even on their radar during this period. A year later in that state, 2022. All members of the ¡®Slayers¡¯ gather, and Hunter Han Siwoo becomes the most notable figure in the world. Oceanos gives up on tracking Alice with heavy hearts and creates a tombstone to honor her. In the process of searching every sea in the world to find her, they realize that there are far too many unimaginable monsters sleeping in the depths of the ocean, and they take the form of a secret organization that prioritizes confidentiality above all else. Two years pass in that state, and in 2024, Hunter Han Siwoo ascends. This is roughly how it went. There really was no reason for them to be connected. Oceanos had no reason to look for Han Siwoo, and Han Siwoo had no particular reason to look for Oceanos. ¡°I really never dreamed we¡¯d make an appearance like this¡­¡± ¡°I know. Why is our name coming up here?¡± ¡°Well, considering what¡¯s about to happen, it makes sense.¡± That¡¯s a fair point. If you think about what the Slayers went through after this, if they had met Oceanos, the situation would¡­ ¡°No, I still don¡¯t think we¡¯d have a chance.¡± Sure, we could have handled the previous pit and the swarm of monsters much more easily, but that eye, honestly, even if we all rushed at it, could we win? Even now we can¡¯t be sure how things will turn out, so what about Oceanos at the time of the Slayers¡¯ ascension? ¡°You never know. Maybe we gave them some incredible reward after meeting us.¡± ¡°Well, that does make sense in its own way¡­¡± Oceanos fell into confusion. And just as Oceanos was confused, the Slayers too were in their own sea of confusion. ¡°Wait, what exactly is Oceanos? An artifact? A monster?¡± ¡°Could it be people?¡± ¡°Who would have a name like that? Besides, it doesn¡¯t seem like there would be people here specifically.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that, do we? Whatever the reason, we¡¯ve never been here before. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if there were beings living under the waterways.¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense too¡­ but I¡¯m even questioning if this is Earth in the first place.¡± True to those words, above them, monsters were swimming in circles, just like sharks circling their prey. The appearance of each one was so bizarre that it could hardly be considered something from Earth. ¡°What do you think, Siwoo? Say something.¡± ¡°I¡­ honestly, I¡¯m not sure either. I still can¡¯t grasp the situation well, and I have no idea what Oceanos is.¡± Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s expression hardened. Parang could see very intense emotions forming in his eyes. Regret, sorrow, sadness. ¡°Still, we can¡¯t just stay like this. Let¡¯s move and try to do something. Since we¡¯re underwater, our top priority should be to get to the surface.¡± But despite all these trials, there was still a glimpse of the will to move forward. ¡°Right. We can¡¯t just sit here like this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve overcome worse adversities before. I believe we can overcome this too.¡± Just as they were about to head to the surface. ¡°Oh right, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reward for the previous quest? Regardless of the outcome, we did ascend after all. The quest has moved on to the next one too.¡± That makes sense. The status window clearly states that the Slayers have ¡®ascended¡¯. He looked into the air for a moment, then said with a slightly surprised expression, ¡°World, Evidence, Resistance, Departure¡­ These¡­¡± ¡°Yes, aren¡¯t those the artifacts you created?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®So this is how they retrieved the artifacts.¡¯ Unlike the Slayers, Parang wasn¡¯t particularly surprised. After all, she already knew that the Slayers had retrieved their artifacts, and it was just that the method turned out to be through a quest reward. While it¡¯s questionable whether such a quest should exist or how it could be so unreasonable, well, considering the unfairness Hunter Han Siwoo experienced in the original work, it¡¯s not particularly surprising. What really shocked Parang to her core was the ¡®method of receiving the reward¡¯. ¡°Uh, Si, Siwoo? Th-there!!¡± In the direction Charlotte pointed while shouting, appearing from far away with a blurry silhouette were about twenty Capulus. The sight of them slowly approaching the Slayers in neat rows and columns was incredibly bizarre. However, their size was smaller than what Parang had seen before, with their length and width being only about 1m. It¡¯s exactly the size of a table. And they really did function as tables, with the Slayers¡¯ artifacts placed on top of each Capulus. Everyone was quite surprised by this rather dramatic entrance. The Slayers had their reactions: ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to stay calm, but this is really disconcerting.¡± ¡°What are these things? Are they even alive?¡± ¡°Is it really okay to touch this¡­? It feels very unsettling¡­¡± Oceanos had their own reactions: ¡°Wh-what? Why are they coming out here?¡± ¡°Those damned eyeball monsters seem to be everywhere.¡± ¡°Pit, swarm, or whatever, I¡¯m most curious about the identity of those things.¡± Even Han Siwoo, the owner of the quest, seemed a bit intimidated by their bizarre appearance, hesitant to touch the artifacts. He cautiously picked up his main weapon, ¡®World¡¯, with an uncomfortable touch. ¡°Hmm¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem to have any strange curses. Still, just to be safe, it would be better if we all cast a purification spell before taking them.¡± ¡°Given that it¡¯s a quest reward, I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s really necessary¡­ But alright. If it¡¯s your advice, we¡¯ll follow it.¡± So all the Slayers, with slightly uneasy expressions, began casting various spells like purification, cleansing, and washing on their respective artifacts. And in that brief moment. Shurururu- Aira witnesses Hunter Han Siwoo carefully using a skill to erase his presence. It¡¯s thanks to Aira being a scholar. Like Vertea, the scholars in this world mostly have stats specialized in detection or investigation. Meeting her eyes, Han Siwoo gives a wink and quietly leaves with the Capulus that brought ¡®World¡¯. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s he doing now?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Maybe he¡¯s going to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Parang, please¡­¡± ¡°What? I was being somewhat serious.¡± Carefully, hiding her own presence, Charlotte went in the direction where Han Siwoo disappeared. The scene that appeared before her was. Well, nothing special. Just Hunter Han Siwoo sitting on a protruding part of the ground, resting. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And next to him, a Capulus floating still, without any movement. ¡°¡­Siwoo.¡± ¡°Ah, Charlotte. You came.¡± ¡°You¡­ you know something.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. I understand this situation better than anyone right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you at all. But, you must surely understand that I have so many questions I want to ask right now.¡± ¡°Of course I understand, Charlotte. But you, being as smart as you are, must also understand why I¡¯m going to these lengths.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t tell me, right? Of course, I know.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice trembled as her gaze lowered slightly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte.¡± ¡°You know all too well the only way to hurt me.¡± Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Are you, are you trying to shoulder something alone again? Like you always have?¡± She raised her head and spoke softly. Given Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s past actions. He¡¯s very greedy, having shouldered many difficult tasks alone on this journey. Charlotte fears that at the very end of this arduous journey, she might once again see him sacrificing himself for something, and that she might once again only be able to watch. ¡°¡­Yeah. It¡¯s something only I can do, something I have to do.¡± ¡°Why are there so many such things in this world?¡± ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s damn frustrating.¡± ¡°¡­Just promise me you won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± At those words, Hunter Han Siwoo quietly stood up and placed something in Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a ring identical to the one you¡¯re wearing now.¡± ¡°What should I do with this?¡± ¡°Keep it until the very last moment. Until the very last moment.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Charlotte nodded towards Han Siwoo with a voice that seemed to have firmed her resolve. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Charlotte and Han Siwoo returned to where their companions were waiting. Chapter 86: Promise to the Future (6) Chapter 86: Promise to the Future (6)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast ¡°Ah, my head feels like it¡¯s going to explode. Why is this suddenly turning into a mystery? Why is that guy who¡¯s about to die so confident, and why did he just stick his sword in the ground and leave?¡± Elvira rambled in a confused tone. And for good reason, as it was impossible to grasp what was going on. As she said, Han Siwoo, who they thought had died helplessly in the sea, was now saying things like ¡®I knew everything,¡¯ and while that seemed to have led to a good outcome, the current state of the Slayers was far from ideal. ¡°I know, right? And the fact that he just stuck his sword in the ground and left is quite a spectacle. What on earth is his intention?¡± Even his main weapon, ¡®World,¡¯ was just firmly planted where he had been sitting before heading to the battlefield, making his intentions completely unfathomable. Amidst everyone¡¯s confusion, the most perplexed of all was Parang. ¡®He knew? How? No, why?¡¯ Having read the original work, she knew that Han Siwoo should be completely ignorant about the sea. Throughout the original story, he had never shown interest in the sea, nor had he ever entered it. Just like any other hunter story. So, in fact, when Parang first heard that Hunter Han Siwoo had gone missing in the sea, she was certain he had died. Because to the ignorant, the sea is such a place. But now, Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s words and actions didn¡¯t seem at all like mere bluster to reassure those around him. Yu Parang¡¯s mental circuits began to spin wildly. The sea, Han Siwoo, the original work, the Slayers, the changed original work¡­. ¡®Could he be¡­ a possessor?¡¯ This assumption could be made. After all, the original work Parang had read only covered up to the end of the main story, and she hadn¡¯t read the side story that was planned for serialization. And if the ending of the side story was that Han Siwoo and all the Slayers were massacred in the sea¡­. ¡®No, fuck. What kind of novel would that be?¡¯ It had been a long time since Parang had cursed like this. No matter how she looked at it, this assumption seemed to cross a line. ¡®Sigh¡­. But¡­.¡¯ The current situation she, Oceanos, and the Slayers were in was also crossing a line, if not completely beyond it. But still, she wanted to deny that possibility. After all, it was a story she had loved, and these were people she had cared about. She didn¡¯t want to make such assumptions about how it might have ended. ¡®And there¡¯s another logical flaw.¡¯ If Hunter Han Siwoo was a regressor, a possessor, a reincarnator, or whatever kind of being, and if he had known about the events that would unfold in the sea, it would be normal for him to have been involved with the sea in the process of preparing for it. And if that had happened, Oceanos would certainly have detected it. After losing Alice, they had become extremely sensitive to others stepping into the sea. If someone as significant as Han Siwoo had tried to do something, they would have inevitably discovered it. But judging from her companions¡¯ reactions now, there seemed to be no sign of such contact. If there had really been contact, they would have informed everyone. At that time, they were truly a community of fate, living and dying together. ¡®So the assumption that Han Siwoo is a possessor¡­.¡¯ For now, for now, she wanted to rule it out. She didn¡¯t want to think about it. She spoke to Oceanos, who was still in confusion. ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching for now. We¡¯re still far from the end of the memory.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. That would be best.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing it further here.¡± The memory flows again, and soon a scene familiar to everyone appears. As Hunter Han Siwoo returns with Charlotte, an ear-splitting explosion is heard from the pit next to them, and it begins to attack. The Slayers enter combat mode and successfully eliminate the pit while all members remain unharmed. After that, as seen in Alexandra¡¯s memory, a swarm of monster fish that seemed to number at least a million attacked Han Siwoo¡¯s group. Titans, ghost ships, krill, and many others. In a situation that was literally half water, half fish, the Slayers were pushed onto the defensive by the organized army, and eventually, members started to drop out one by one. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just when it seemed they would be defeated¡­. ¡°Uuuuaaaaaaah!!!¡± Wheeeeee- Kwaaaaaang!!! ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how you can kill those things.¡± Without any special strategy, they succeeded in defeating the million-strong army of monster fish through sheer combat power alone. The remaining members were Han Siwoo, Kang Yuri, Marian, Charlotte, a woman named ¡®Albina¡¯ wearing Catholic bishop¡¯s robes, and a woman named ¡®Yuki¡¯ in Japanese shrine maiden attire. Six in total. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­ whew¡­.¡± Han Siwoo took deep breaths after defeating the last remaining monster fish. ¡°Huff¡­ whew¡­. Are you alright¡­?¡± The woman in shrine maiden attire approached him. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. Just¡­ really tired.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too much. You weren¡¯t fighting at the very front.¡± She supported Han Siwoo and examined his body. Sadness clouded her face. ¡°You have many wounds. I¡¯ll treat you, so it would be best if you get some rest for now.¡± Seeing her sorrowful expression, a dark emotion also clouded Han Siwoo¡¯s face. Parang, who had observed countless expressions in her previous life while painting numerous pictures, couldn¡¯t read the emotion on his face this time. Sadness, guilt, remorse, sorrow¡­. It was a subtle expression that didn¡¯t quite match any emotion she tried to attribute to it. Still, the overall atmosphere was relatively bright. From their perspective, it made sense. Although the battle was tough, they had ultimately won, and the members who had dropped out during the fight had escaped rather than died. From their point of view, they could now surface, reunite with their comrades who had escaped earlier and were receiving treatment, and then calmly analyze what had happened. In fact, Charlotte and Albina high-fived each other with their tired bodies, and Kang Yuri was quietly lying down next to Han Siwoo. Considering the situation, it could be called a truly cruel picture. In contrast to the lightened mood of the Slayers, the atmosphere on Oceanos¡¯ side was heavy. ¡°Is it coming soon? That eye.¡± ¡°Yes. Twenty minutes before death.¡± ¡°Xiao, will you be okay?¡± Previously, when diving into Kang Yuri¡¯s memory, Xiao had suffered considerably upon seeing the eye in question. After all, as the caster of the dive skill, the burden she bears is overwhelmingly greater compared to others. However, she showed a strong will to continue this work, and with Silo¡¯s side doing their best to support her, she was able to appear here again. In the current reality, Xiao is equipped with no less than thirteen mental support artifacts. Moreover, each one is at least S-grade. Her mental immunity is now beyond comparison to anyone else in the world. This is what was meant earlier by the ¡®power of equipment.¡¯ As a bonus, each member of Oceanos, except for Xiao, is equipped with one mental support artifact. Of course, even with such thorough preparations, there were still concerns, so the tense atmosphere couldn¡¯t be completely dispelled. And in the midst of silence, at one moment. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is currently active. ] ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Along with the message that appeared before their eyes, giving a more ironic feeling than ever before, it appeared. It starts as a round sphere. A ball. Smooth and floating. Ball, void, planet, universe, world. The Slayers, realizing that something had arrived, immediately gripped their weapons and prepared to enter combat. ¡°Xiao, can you handle it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine for now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, stop immediately if anything feels off.¡± ¡°I know. I value my body too, don¡¯t worry.¡± Now its form is clearly visible. A perfect sphere. Like a transparent glass marble, but without any cleanliness, only ugliness remains. Millions of monster corpses float around like stars. In the center of the most corrupt and disgusting universe, a star that spews out all the evil in the world. It opened. Its eyes. Parang heard the voices of her companions. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s still¡­ bearable, more than I thought.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s thanks to the artifacts, or because we¡¯ve experienced it once before.¡± ¡°Xiao, how are you? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, still¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Parang felt relieved. Everyone¡¯s alright. But why¡­ am I¡­ not¡­ Her consciousness blurred. It¡¯s harder than before. Why? How come? [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is currently active. ] [ Detected strain on status window. Prolonged exposure may cause issues. ] Dizzy. Nauseating. Want to vomit. Want to open the door and run out screaming. Want to cry to the world, then laugh, then play pranks, then sulk alone, suddenly go wild, then dance again and sing and scratch my back and wrap my arms tightly behind me, then fall into the sea and burn in fire. Can¡¯t define the emotions. It¡¯s bizarre. The intensity is much stronger than before. Strong. Strong. Strong. Thoughts aren¡¯t progressing properly. What to do, what is it, what was I trying to do. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯ Parang¡¯s mind became distant. ¡°¡ö¡ö ¡ö.¡± ¡°Huuuuuugh!!¡± The breath she had been holding without realizing rushes into her lungs. ¡°Pa, Parang?!¡± ¡°Why suddenly?!¡± From her companions¡¯ perspective, it¡¯s shocking to see Parang, who had been quiet, suddenly react like this. ¡°Are you okay? Xiao, quickly stop the memory!!¡± ¡°Wa, wait. I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s keep watching.¡± ¡°Are you sure? You absolutely must not overdo it.¡± ¡°I know that well. Just,¡± Parang paused for a moment. ¡°Just, I think I was a bit tired. I feel a little queasy, but I can handle it.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ Alright. If you say so.¡± ¡°Did you see the previous situation?¡± As Parang focused her mind on the dive, Charlotte had already transferred to the hive and was lying down, clutching the ring with her eyes tightly closed, as if asleep. ¡°Ah, no. Let me see it again. Sorry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The memory rewinds, and that being opens its eyes again. Ironically, it¡¯s more comfortable than before. Just feeling queasy, with a bit of a headache. ¡°Why on earth earlier¡­¡± It felt like an incredibly important moment had passed. However, for now, focusing on the scene before her eyes is the most urgent task. Parang concentrated on the memory. ¡°Ugh¡­ Arrrgh¡­¡± As soon as it opened its eyes, Hunter Han Siwoo and the Slayers showed immediate reactions. Expressions of unbearable pain. They clutch their heads and curl up, or conversely, stretch their bodies out. Bang! The camera at Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s waist explodes, sinking down as debris. Then suddenly, Bang!! The glass ring on his finger bursts, and the golden thread inside flows into his body. And again. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!! The five remaining rings all break, and golden energy infuses the bodies of everyone, including Charlotte. ¡°Wh-what? This, h-how did this happen?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see soon, watch closely.¡± Dozens of messages appeared and disappeared rapidly before Charlotte¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ugh¡­ urgh¡­¡± Still clutching her head, but with a more relaxed expression, she calls up her status window with a puzzled face. [ Status Window: Charlotte Aira ] [ Personal Skill: Writing Mythology (S) ] [ What you don¡¯t know chases you. ] [ What you know helps you. ] [ Skills ] [ Waterproof Sanity (S), Ultra-precise Observation (S), Eyes to See the Universe (S)¡­ ] ¡°Re-recent notifications.¡± [ Retrieving recent notifications. ] [ Your mind has been completely destroyed. ] [ One-time artifact, ¡®Happy Ending¡¯ has been destroyed. ] [ Your mind has been restored. ] [ After your mind was completely destroyed underwater, it was restored. You have acquired the skill, Waterproof Sanity (S). ] [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ has been activated ] ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Parang roughly checked the status window and organized the series of events in her mind. It seems the other Slayers recovered their minds through this route as well. ¡®I guess this was roughly how it went¡­¡¯ However, even she was too disoriented to see the following scenes clearly. The memory ends with Aira activating the teleportation device, transferring to the hive, hiding her body in a deep space, and then casting a preservation spell on herself. The dive ended in a somewhat chaotic atmosphere. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s rest for a bit¡­¡± Everyone agreed with Parang¡¯s words, and they collapsed inside the water tank. # Deep in the ocean. The seabed, the abyss, darkness. Standing there alone. In the distance, something can be seen approaching. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ has ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö*፻ ] [ Error detected. Skill has been destroyed. Unable to activate. ] [ Run away. ] [ Run away. ] [ Run away. ] [ Run away. ] [ Run away. ] Seeing this, a brief, wry smile forms. ¡°Run away, they say¡­¡± It¡¯s close enough now to be recognizable. ¡°How could I possibly do that? Nonsense.¡± The approaching tentacles are slow. ¡°Indeed. Utter nonsense.¡± Eyes close. Soon, a sense of peace. But comfort is impossible. Because of that one phrase left unsaid. Trying to open the mouth, but knowing it won¡¯t reach her. So, at least as a whisper to oneself, softly. ¡°Open¡­ your eyes¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey. Hey!!¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Sigh, you were thinking about that again?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± The words trail off. ¡°I knew it. You were thinking about it. It must be tough, but try to shake it off a bit.¡± ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Well, alright¡­ Hang in there. I know it¡¯s not much help to say, but it¡¯s not all over yet.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks. But why did you suddenly call me?¡± ¡°Well, nothing much. I was bored, and I saw your expression darkening, so I thought, ¡®Ah, they¡¯re at it again¡¯- and decided to chat. You know, once you fall into depression, it¡¯s hard to get out.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Thanks for looking out for me.¡± ¡°And I figured you¡¯d be done watching by now. We should start getting to work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit faster than expected. But there¡¯s no big problem, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Not yet, at least.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Thanks as always.¡± ¡°No, well¡­ I owe you too.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°¡­If it¡¯s too hard, take a break. I can do it.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m not comfortable leaving more to you here. I¡¯d rather it be a bit tough.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want, do as you like.¡± Silence. Their eyes meet briefly, then turn towards the dark cave exit. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not really my place to say, but your life is pretty damn extraordinary.¡± ¡°As if there¡¯s anyone in this world who¡­ No, I can¡¯t even bring myself to say it.¡± Silence again, lips sealed. Indeed, even to oneself, one¡¯s life seemed a bit too extraordinary. ¡°Sigh. At least take a few of these with you.¡± ¡°I always wonder. Why this shape of all things? Couldn¡¯t they have been made a bit prettier?¡± He said, looking at the three Capulus following behind. ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, don¡¯t take them.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll take them. Thanks.¡± He turned back, looking again at the cave exit. ¡®Status window.¡¯ [ Status Window: Han Siwoo ] [ Personal Skill: Promise to the Future (EX) ] [ Your last chance has arrived. ] [ Skills ] [ Waterproof Sanity (S), Path Pioneering (S), Loyal Friendship (S) ¡­ ] [ Status Ailments ] [ Regression ] ¡®Not even a skill, but a status ailment.¡¯ Isn¡¯t that a bit too ominous? He, Han Siwoo, quietly swam out of the cave. Chapter 87: Interlude Chapter 87: InterludeDeep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Swoooooosh-!! Han Siwoo, emerging from the cave, swam upwards at an incredible speed, ascending higher and higher. His speed was twice that of when he was fighting beneath Hawaii. It was almost on par with Parang. To ascend from the very bottom of the Mariana Hive to the top, it¡¯s about 30km. Since the uppermost part of the Mariana Hive is 5km below the surface, Han Siwoo is essentially residing in a cave 35km deep under the sea. For reference, Monster fishes also live in that area. As mentioned repeatedly, the environment is quite different from the original Earth. Han Siwoo, having left the Mariana Hive in an instant, rushed in one direction like a gust of wind. The Capulus behind him was, surprisingly, maintaining a similar speed. ¡®How on earth does that thing move in water¡­¡­¡¯ He thought to himself. ¡®Well, I guess it¡¯s not that surprising.¡¯ Although the relationship is as distant as a third cousin twice removed, it¡¯s still somewhat connected to that Kraken, isn¡¯t it? ¡®No, come to think of it, it might be a bit closer than that¡­..¡¯ He absent-mindedly tried to establish the relationship between the Capulus and the Kraken. ¡°Hey, watch out, in front!!¡± A woman¡¯s urgent voice came from the Capulus behind. Whoooosh!! Snapping back to reality, Han Siwoo found himself swimming towards a large stone pillar. He twisted his body in an almost acrobatic manner, barely avoiding the pillar. ¡°Ah, thanks, Melville.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you keep zoning out like that, nothing¡¯s going to get done. What were you thinking about this time?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. Just pondering about the relationship between this handle and the Kraken.¡± ¡°Seriously, you think about the weirdest things¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, what kind of relationship do you think they have? Have you ever thought about it?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see¡­.. Since it came from me, maybe something like ¡®hair that fell off a mouse living in a place the Kraken visited¡¯?¡± ¡°Hooh¡­¡­¡± Han Siwoo let out a small exclamation. Considering the context, it¡¯s a perfectly fitting analogy. Except for one part, that is. ¡°Do mice these days also scavenge Kraken flesh?¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? I had no choice back then, it was about survival. Unless you¡¯ve been caught by a 1km-long sea monster and dragged down to the deep sea, keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve almost been absorbed by the Kraken¡¯s daughter with my status window destroyed.¡± ¡°Always trying to have the last word¡­¡­¡± After chattering and bantering for a while, Han Siwoo finally arrived somewhere. What stood before him was an enormous cliff. It was so massive that its ends couldn¡¯t be seen, whether up, down, left, or right. It was just vertically flat. Han Siwoo stopped still in front of the massive wall and looked up for a moment. In the middle of that enormous cliff, he could see a small groove carved out. As he approached it, he saw it was a groove just big enough to fit a fist. The only peculiar thing was that its shape was a perfect hemisphere. ¡°Is this the place?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. If my intuition is correct, it should be in there.¡± ¡®Intuition, huh.¡¯ If her intuition said so, then it was simply a fact. That¡¯s what Han Siwoo had come to understand. ¡°Alright. If it¡¯s your intuition, I guess it must be in there.¡± He carefully caressed the hemispherical groove. ¡°So, we¡¯ve arrived, but what do we do now?¡± ¡°Ah, just a moment.¡± One of the three floating Capulus approached Han Siwoo. ¡°Break this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­This?¡± ¡°Stop talking and just do it quickly.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too reckless, even for you?¡± ¡°Huh, do you also respect and cherish the hair that falls from your body?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Having no particular rebuttal, Han Siwoo just followed her instructions. A moment later, with a loud cracking sound, one of the Capulus shattered, and from within emerged a breathtakingly beautiful, round, blue jewel. The fragments of the crumbled Capulus slowly sank into the deep sea. ¡°Insert it into that carved hole.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, this method is more classic than I expected. Inserting a jewel into a hole in the wall.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make this. If you want to complain, go talk to that eyeball.¡± ¡°I tried to complain, but it wouldn¡¯t talk to me.¡± ¡°Oh for¡­.. That mouth of his¡­¡­¡± Han Siwoo chuckled as he inserted the blue jewel into the groove. Then, Woooooong- Centered around that groove, an incredibly massive pattern began to glow blue, revealing itself. Next, Dududuk, Urururung, Kugugugung- The wall with the circular pattern opened like a camera aperture, revealing the space behind. What was revealed was an enormously vast cave. As if the entire inside of the cliff was completely hollow. It was a space large enough to easily fit not just a Monster fish, but even two Hives. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s too dark to see clearly.¡± ¡°Huh? Dark? You were able to see just fine in the pit earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a regressor, and I also had my combat senses active then.¡± ¡°Hah, someone might think you¡¯ve regressed dozens of times or something.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± For the first time, Han Siwoo¡¯s mouth clamped shut, and with a slightly annoyed expression, he entered the cave. [ Skill, ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is active. ] A message that popped up even when it was too dark to distinguish anything. ¡°Ah, I guess that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Go down to the bottom and look around slowly. Once you¡¯ve confirmed, come right back out.¡± ¡°Just confirm? Nothing else?¡± ¡°Nothing else. Just confirm.¡± Hunter Han Siwoo nodded and quietly swam down. After descending for who knows how long, he finally reached the bottom and slowly began to look around. ¡°No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t this too big? It¡¯ll take ages to look around everything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet ten Capulus that you¡¯ll be terrified within 10 minutes and rush out of the cave in a panic.¡± ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± ¡®No, it makes sense.¡¯ If you think about what they¡¯re looking for right now, it¡¯s not nonsense at all. ¡®Why did I bring this up¡­¡¯ That thing he would most likely see soon. They say the greatest fear is fear of the unknown, but sometimes there are things that are just scary even when you know about them. Not scarier because you know, just¡­ terrifying. And then, thud. He felt something where he was about to carefully step. [Run away.] [Run away.] [Run away.] Seeing the status window screaming hysterically, he felt a bit anxious. It reminded him of that day. ¡°Did you bump into something?¡± Alice called out to him. Han Siwoo quietly touched whatever was in front of him. [ R U N A W A Y ] Now the letters are even bolder and redder. He spoke in a hushed voice. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Good. Don¡¯t try to look at it closely, and if possible, don¡¯t touch it. Follow the tentacle where it gets thicker and go up.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Han Siwoo quietly, with the most careful movements of his life, followed the tentacle up and up. The tentacle, which had been thin, was getting thicker, reaching a diameter of almost 20 meters. [ runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrun ] ¡®Damn it, shut up¡­¡¯ As if the creepy feeling wasn¡¯t enough, the status window¡¯s freaking out doubled his fear. Trembling without realizing it as he followed the tentacle, Han Siwoo finally reached a certain point. The part where the tentacles connected into one. The center. To put it more simply, the core. Once it had glowed blue, but now it had lost its light and was completely dark. ¡®The Kraken¡¯s¡­ core.¡¯ As soon as he mentally uttered that name, an overwhelming emotion swept over Han Siwoo. Awe, fear, terror, terror, terror, terror, terror, terror. ¡°Incomprehensible incomprehensible incomprehensible should not attempt to comprehend but comprehend not comprehend. Even comprehending myself comprehending is incomprehensible open your eyes open your eyes open your eyes open your eyes¡­¡± ¡°Damn it. I knew this would happen¡­!!¡± As soon as Hunter Han Siwoo showed abnormal symptoms after seeing the Kraken¡¯s core that had lost its light, the Capulus struck him hard from above, knocking him unconscious. Then, carrying him out of the cave. ¡°No matter how you look at it, is it right to pass out without even being able to run away¡­?¡± Alice grumbled at Han Siwoo while clutching her own heart that was pounding uncontrollably. Kraken¡¯s death, confirmation complete. # ¡°Ugh, my head¡­¡± ¡°What, what is it? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah¡­ It must be the effect of that memory from earlier. I think I¡¯ll feel better after resting a bit. More importantly, how¡¯s Xiao?¡± ¡°She¡¯s asleep. She said she didn¡¯t receive a big shock, so she¡¯ll be fine after resting for a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, phew¡­¡± Parang lay still in the tank, organizing the memories she had just seen. The ring Han Siwoo had given as a gift, the sword stuck in the ground, the ascension ritual, and that damned Capulus¡­ Thinking about piecing all of that together makes her head throb. ¡®And, that eye.¡¯ She had felt it when she first saw it in Kang Yuri¡¯s memory, but that eye definitely has a connection with the Kraken. This time, she felt it more clearly, more strongly. That eye, without a doubt, must have met the Kraken before. She¡¯s not sure what they did when they met, though. There¡¯s no evidence. The lack of evidence itself is the evidence. It¡¯s just proof of an instinctive recognition that arose from within Parang. ¡®Ugh, my head hurts.¡¯ It¡¯s fortunate that there¡¯s one more piece of reference material. ¡®I wonder if she¡¯s finished looking at it by now.¡¯ Vertea, who recovered first, had gone to examine the memories contained in the ¡®evidence¡¯ obtained from Alexandra. What on earth did Alexandra hear that allowed her to accept death so peacefully in that desperate situation? Who was the being that spoke to her? With Vertea¡¯s intelligence, she might clearly figure everything out as soon as she sees the memory and start briefing. That¡¯s Parang¡¯s one-sided hope, though. ¡®It should be about time¡­¡¯ Kwang!! ¡°Eek!! You scared me!!¡± The one who burst through the door with a sound almost like a bomb exploding was Vertea. With an incredibly excited face, she clutched the ¡®evidence¡¯ in her hand and strode towards Parang. ¡°Uh, that, if you handle it carelessly, won¡¯t it break and¡­¡± Parang¡¯s words ¡°¡­or something?¡± were cut off. ¡°This, I think you need to see it.¡± With a stern voice, Vertea suddenly pressed the evidence against Parang¡¯s forehead. Elvira, who was watching Parang¡¯s condition from the side, was startled and tried to stop Vertea, but unfortunately failed. ¡°Hey, hey, wait a second, wh-what¡¯s this all of a sudden¡­!!¡± Before she could protest, Parang¡¯s consciousness was sucked into the ¡®evidence¡¯. Chapter 88: Not All Who Wander Are Lost (1) Chapter 88: Not All Who Wander Are Lost (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Whoosh-!! ¡°Wh-Whoa!!!¡± A shout erupted from the depths of Parang¡¯s core. So this is what it feels like to enter the memories contained in the ¡®Evidence¡¯. The sensation of something being pulled from the heart, snaking up the spine, winding its way to the head, and exiting through the forehead. ¡®Wait, Han Siwoo made this thing and gave it to his girlfriend?!¡¯ Parang¡¯s consciousness seemed to be passing through a sparkling tunnel. ¡®The feeling is worse than diving¡­¡¯ Diving felt like an instant plunge into water, immediately connecting to memories. Whoosh- Parang¡¯s consciousness traversed the passage for quite a long time. ¡®This is taking longer than I expected.¡¯ Thinking she might as well organize some information, Parang recalled memories related to the ¡®Evidence¡¯. ¡®Evidence¡¯. An artifact in the form of a necklace with an embedded green emerald. In the original story, it was an item that Hunter Han Siwoo handed over to Alexandra, one of the Slayers, to prevent himself from going berserk after defeating an enemy at the cost of his memories. Its function, true to its name, is to store someone¡¯s memories and allow them to be retrieved and viewed by another person. ¡®I found it on Alexandra¡¯s corpse.¡¯ Right after the ascension, after defeating the ¡®Pit¡¯, Alexandra had separated from the group during the battle against the second ordeal of hundreds of millions of monster fish, and for some reason, was teleported to the train hive in the East Sea instead of the ground base. At first, Alexandra was extremely confused, but after seemingly conversing with an invisible entity, she calmly stored her memories in the ¡®Evidence¡¯ before accepting her death with composure. However, the ¡®Evidence¡¯, a divine-level artifact created by Hunter Han Siwoo himself, suffered severe damage, cracking and splitting just from storing those memories. After Parang retrieved it, it had to be immediately sent for repairs by the Silo. During that process, evidence was found suggesting that someone had deliberately sealed the memories contained in the Evidence, but in the end, they somehow managed to succeed in the repairs, completing the restoration and making it usable again. And then Vertea, after first checking the memories contained in the Evidence, quickly approached Parang, handed it to her, and forcibly pushed her in, saying, ¡®You should see this.¡¯ ¡®I mean, what could it possibly be¡­¡¯ Well, Vertea wasn¡¯t one to do pointless things. Parang just waited calmly. And a moment later. As the end of the long tunnel came into view, Parang emerged. Splash!! ¡®This feeling, it¡¯s like¡­¡¯ Like riding a water slide. Parang tilted her head slightly and first examined her own condition. ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ It definitely felt different from diving. While diving felt like watching a video play out before your eyes, this was like holograms unfolding all around. When Parang looked down at her body, it was hazy and flickering, exactly like the appearance of a ghost. ¡®So this is what it¡¯s like.¡¯ Parang marveled as she put her hand in and out of her stomach. ¡®As for the surroundings¡­ Ah.¡¯ Looking around, Parang quickly realized where she was. Thick rocks piled up haphazardly, and a dark, blue, somewhat gloomy atmosphere. Decisively, in the distance, stark white arms standing upright. ¡®Brachium¡­¡¯ Parang had suffered a lot because of that damned thing too. ¡®And if this is the East Sea hive now¡­¡¯ As Parang looked around, she easily found Alexandra nearby. ¡®Right after the transfer, huh.¡¯ She was still trembling with fear and bewilderment, with no sign of conversing with anyone. The peculiar part was that her limbs were restrained by tentacles emitting a pale purple light. This was certainly not present when viewed through ¡®Dive¡¯. ¡®So that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t move her arms.¡¯ Parang recalled Alexandra¡¯s immobile form despite nothing visibly restraining her. But there was one strange thing. ¡®Why wasn¡¯t it shown on the status window?¡¯ Alexandra¡¯s status window clearly showed no abnormal states. Usually in cases like this, a status effect like ¡®Bound¡¯ or ¡®Restrained¡¯ would be applied. ¡°St-Status window!!¡± Even on the status window Alexandra urgently called up, there was no particular change. ¡®The fact that she called up the status window means that soon¡­¡¯ That unknown entity would appear. The being that entered Alexandra¡¯s consciousness and engaged in an incomprehensible conversation with her. Parang examined Alexandra closely to make use of what little time remained. ¡®Let¡¯s see, her eyes are fine¡­¡¯ She conducted a rough examination using the knowledge she had, but found no notable abnormalities. ¡®So she¡¯s in her right mind right now.¡¯ That makes it even more puzzling. How did someone who wasn¡¯t under any influence activate the emergency warp device to transfer to the East Sea hive? Parang pondered for a moment, stroking her chin. But it didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Ugh, aaargh!! Wh-What is this!!! Who¡¯s there!!¡± Alexandra¡¯s eyes, which had been maintaining a consistently confused attitude and muttering something in a daze, began to emit a pale purple light. And surprisingly, a form appeared before her. Rustle rustle- Shaa- With a strange sound that was like turning silk, or snow falling and piling up, or a brush painting on soft paper. ¡°Who¡­ are¡­ you¡­?¡± A girl wrapped in a purple radiance appeared. Her atmosphere was completely different from this gloomy deep sea. Her long, pale purple hair that reached down to her waist swayed gently in the water, and the thin, white hands that peeked out from between her fluttering wide sleeves were as clear and clean as flawless white jade. Her lace-trimmed skirt fluttered, and beneath it, slender bare legs stretched out, leisurely swaying back and forth in the water. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her entire body shone beautifully with a pale purple light, almost like an angel descended from heaven. Her face was hidden behind a mask, obscuring her eyes, nose, and mouth, but Parang could easily imagine that the face behind it must be breathtakingly beautiful. ¡®She¡¯s pretty¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just empty words; even in this crucial, gloomy situation, the girl exuded such a mysterious and beautiful aura that it unconsciously evoked such thoughts. Of course, Parang fully felt that atmosphere for exactly 10 seconds. Because the voice that came from the girl¡¯s mouth. That voice, soft and clean like jade beads rolling on a silver tray, and refreshing. ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± That voice belonged to none other than someone Parang knew all too well. It belonged to someone she had been searching for for a very long time. It belonged to a precious, irreplaceable old friend she thought she would never see again. ¡°Al¡­ ice¡­?¡± Parang, without realizing it, whispered that person¡¯s name into the void with hollow eyes. # ¡®What the hell is going on here¡­¡¯ My head is spinning. A friend I thought was dead has returned in this form, in this way. Thousands upon thousands of questions flood my mind. I feel confused, bewildered, scared, happy, and sad all at once. I felt like I was going to lose my mind. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it might actually burst. I¡¯m out of breath. My throat is tight. My eyes are trembling. Parang instantly moved towards Alice in the memory, trying to embrace her tightly. I missed her, I wanted to see her. It seems no question or emotion was stronger than this longing. But Parang¡¯s body passed right through Alice, slipping out behind her. Parang collapsed on the spot, staring blankly at his own hands, which were flickering hazily. Alice stood still in front of Alexandra. As if she wanted to give Parang some time. ¡®Why, why¡­¡¯ There was so much I wanted to ask, so much I wanted to say, but I couldn¡¯t utter a word. Why here, why at this moment of all times? Why show yourself now when everyone had given up? Where have you been all this time? I missed you. No words could escape his lips, all retreating back beyond Parang¡¯s tightly constricted throat. Parang forgot even what he was supposed to do, sitting on the ground and shedding tears. He just cried endlessly. Whether it was sadness, happiness, or neither, Parang couldn¡¯t tell. Then, something touched Parang¡¯s back. ¡°¡­!!¡± It¡¯s strange. Even though he knew nothing should be able to touch him, Parang oddly didn¡¯t think this sensation was an illusion. A warm, longed-for, gentle touch. Could it be that hand from that day, when he first met Titan, the hand he couldn¡¯t grasp? Could it be the very hand of the friend he had missed? At some point, Parang¡¯s crying had stopped. That touch was so kind and warm, as if telling him not to cry. ¡°¡­¡± Parang didn¡¯t bother to turn around to check if that touch was real. It just felt like he shouldn¡¯t. Instead, Parang quietly tried to compose himself, lifting his head and standing up. Then, he faced Alice and stared intently at her mask. Ding- ¡°¡­Ah¡­!¡± At that moment, Parang strangely felt as if he had made eye contact with Alice. Even though she was wearing a mask and her eyes shouldn¡¯t be visible, oddly enough. ¡®Right. Me being like this, it¡¯s certainly not what you want.¡¯ The light returned to her eyes. This might be the last of Alice¡¯s voice that Parang could hear. He didn¡¯t want to miss such a precious sound because he was crying. Parang composed himself, holding back his tears. Only then did Alice start to move again. ¡®Just now¡­¡¯ It seemed like she might have nodded. Chapter 89: Not all who wander are lost (2) Chapter 89: Not all who wander are lost (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Alice slowly approached Alexandra. Parang wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by Alice Melville¡¯s sudden appearance. Alexandra, the protagonist of the memory, was also expressing her surprise, no less than Parang. Given the situation, it was closer to shock than mere surprise. ¡°W-Who are you? A m-monster?¡± Strangely, from the moment Alice appeared, Alexandra was speaking without opening her mouth. Her voice seemed to emerge from the space itself rather than coming from her mouth. It was like when a character¡¯s inner thoughts are narrated in a movie or drama. Alexandra herself seemed quite surprised by this fact. Even Parang thought that she didn¡¯t have any telepathic abilities in the original work. ¡°W-Wait, what¡¯s this¡­ Why is my voice like this?!¡± Alexandra¡¯s eyes trembled. Considering her journey from the point of ascension to her arrival here, along with her current situation, one could easily imagine the confusion Alexandra was experiencing. It¡¯s not unreasonable for her to be frightened. Fortunately, Alice didn¡¯t seem to have become so cold-hearted as to scare someone in such a situation. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not a monster, and I won¡¯t harm you.¡± At Alice¡¯s gentle voice, Alexandra¡¯s tension seemed to ease a bit. After all, once you realize that communication is possible, the fear of the unknown tends to diminish significantly. Alexandra asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Alice Melville. A member of Oceanos¡­ the group you¡¯ve been looking for.¡± She hesitated slightly at the ¡®member of Oceanos¡¯ part. ¡°Oceanos¡­!!¡± Alexandra exclaimed in surprise. ¡°O-Oceanos? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a group of hunters operating underwater. Those strange fish you¡¯ve been fighting until now are what we usually hunt.¡± ¡°W-Wait, are you saying you¡¯ve been watching us?¡± To that question, Alice quietly reached her hand towards the darkness, that is, towards the inside of the cave, as if calling for something to answer in her stead. Woong- What emerged from the darkness was a small Capulus, much smaller than what Parang had seen before. ¡°Th-That¡­!!¡± ¡°A C-Capulus?!¡± Alexandra and Parang were surprised simultaneously. Parang was almost knocked over. She never imagined a Capulus would appear here. Of course not. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you with this. From beginning to end, everything.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Despite learning that someone had been stalking her in such a situation, Alexandra didn¡¯t seem to resent Alice or show any anger towards her. Or more precisely, it seemed like she had decided to focus on something else more important. ¡°Y-You need to meet someone right now. A hunter named Han Siwoo¡­¡± ¡®Ah, it¡¯s about the quest.¡¯ Parang had also seen Han Siwoo mention receiving a quest to ¡®Find Oceanos¡¯ with her own mouth previously. However¡­ ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡®Of course it¡¯s impossible.¡¯ Parang thought. ¡°W-Why?¡± ¡®Obviously, it¡¯s a matter of distance.¡¯ Alexandra¡¯s current location is the East Sea, while Han Siwoo¡¯s location is Hawaii. Unless Alice has learned some sort of teleportation technique, it¡¯s impossible to swim a distance that takes eight hours even by plane. That¡¯s what Parang thought, but something completely different came out of Alice¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s part of the plan.¡± ¡°W-What plan¡­?!¡± ¡°According to Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s plan, I shouldn¡¯t meet him right now.¡± ¡°S-Siwoo¡¯s plan?¡± ¡°Yes. Even you being teleported here is part of his plan.¡± ¡°W-What¡­ How can I believe that?!¡± ¡°Here.¡± Alice approached Alexandra, knelt in front of her as she lay on the ground, and held out her hand. The object placed on that hand was something both Alexandra and Parang knew well. ¡°Th-That ring¡­!¡± It was the ring named ¡®Happy Ending¡¯ that Han Siwoo had made and distributed to the heroines. ¡°Is this enough proof?¡± ¡°B-But, what if you took it by force, or stole it¡­!!¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible for me to take or steal something from him? I can¡¯t even leave the water.¡± At those words, Alexandra¡¯s mouth closed. It¡¯s certainly a good method of persuasion. Regardless of the truth, it would sound convincing from Alexandra¡¯s perspective. In fact, she seemed to be convinced by Alice¡¯s logic, slowly nodding her head. ¡®So, it¡¯s Han Siwoo¡¯s plan, huh.¡¯ Parang wasn¡¯t particularly surprised. After all, it was Hunter Han Siwoo who had given that ring as a gift to all the heroines, not to mention his suspicious behavior in previous memories and speaking as if he knew something. It¡¯s highly likely that he knew they would go to the sea after ascending. In terms of information, it¡¯s as if she¡¯s just confirming what she already knew through Alice¡¯s words. That doesn¡¯t mean the questions are gone, though. ¡®How on earth did he figure that out?¡¯ Good heavens, the fact that the reward for killing a god was a scroll about the ascension ritual, and that following it and ascending would suddenly transport them to the sea below Hawaii, where they¡¯d face all sorts of battles and finally encounter an eye monster that even pressures the status window. How on earth did Hunter Han Siwoo know? This perfectly reasonable question was the first to pop into Parang¡¯s mind. But Alexandra didn¡¯t seem to care about any of that. From the moment she accepted that ¡®Han Siwoo has a plan¡¯, she didn¡¯t seem to worry at all about her own fate or Hunter Han Siwoo¡¯s well-being. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. If it¡¯s Siwoo¡¯s plan, I can trust it.¡± Parang, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was startled by Alexandra¡¯s expression. Alexandra¡¯s face had brightened up so much that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had been trembling in fear in the unknown deep sea just moments ago. ¡®No way, this level of trust?¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s true that the Slayers trust Han Siwoo tremendously¡­ but it didn¡¯t seem to be this blindly before. ¡®I guess it¡¯s understandable, seeing hope in a difficult situation.¡¯ Even so, that unblemished bright expression. That appearance that seems to have not a single trace of anxiety or worry. Doesn¡¯t it seem like she thinks of Han Siwoo as a ¡®perfect person who succeeds at everything¡¯? As far as Parang knows, Han Siwoo isn¡¯t that kind of person. In the original work, he loses battles, fails in plans, and sometimes suffers great losses. Nevertheless, he¡¯s the type who fights to the end, eventually breaking everything and achieving his goals. ¡®That¡¯s why there was a lot of talk about tag baiting and title baiting.¡¯ Even Parang thought that part was worth criticizing. A munchkin who loses in battle, what nonsense is that? The point is, Hunter Han Siwoo is by no means a ¡®perfect human who never fails¡¯. Considering this, Alexandra¡¯s level of trust in Han Siwoo seems unusually high. But then again, for Alexandra who particularly followed Han Siwoo well, it might be possible¡­ Parang, who had been wavering between ¡®it¡¯s understandable¡¯ and ¡®something¡¯s suspicious¡¯, finally concludes with ¡®it¡¯s understandable¡¯. There¡¯s too much information to process to delve into this aspect any further. Whether Parang¡¯s head was about to explode or not, Alexandra¡¯s attitude had completely, 180 degrees changed. It¡¯s as if this is just another light incident that will pass by. It¡¯s so disconnected from her current situation. Whether she¡¯s trying to forcefully push it to the back of her mind, or if she really thinks that way. Parang¡¯s head throbbed, and she rubbed her forehead again. ¡°Can you tell me what plan Siwoo is brewing?¡± ¡°¡­No. That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°¡­Why not?¡± ¡°Because my friend who¡¯s watching this memory right now shouldn¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean¡­ Oh.¡± Alexandra chewed over the sentence Alice had just uttered, then looked at her necklace, the ¡®evidence¡¯, as if she had realized something. ¡°Is that why¡­ you came to find me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. According to Han Siwoo¡¯s plan, there¡¯s someone who absolutely needs to see our conversation right now.¡± Alice turned her head and looked into the empty space in Parang¡¯s direction. From her perspective, it was clearly just an empty space, but strangely, Parang felt as if she had made eye contact with her. ¡°Plus, not just this conversation, but my memories need to be stored there too.¡± ¡°Your memories too¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask you to do it.¡± ¡°Ah, lastly, there are a few things I¡¯d like to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Am I¡­ going to die soon?¡± Alice was silent for a moment, then answered with a slightly trembling voice. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I see. Alright. It¡¯s my first time dying, so it feels strange.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your thoughts on death. I mean¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Alexandra smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m really dying anyway, right?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s Siwoo¡¯s plan, right? There¡¯s no way Siwoo would have made a plan that sacrifices me, or any of the Slayers. Even if I die here, I¡¯ll probably be resurrected somewhere, or even if not, I¡¯ll live a happy life with Siwoo in another world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Parang was dumbfounded. ¡®No matter how you look at it, bringing someone back to life¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t that impossible? Even if this is a modern ¡®fantasy¡¯ world, how¡­ Regardless, Alexandra was still smiling brightly. ¡°Why are you silent? Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m wrong, don¡¯t tell me. If I¡¯m going to die anyway, I want to die holding onto hope.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Do you have any last words you¡¯d like to leave?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°To your friend who¡¯s watching this memory. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to give them a hint or something?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± At those words, Alice was silent for a moment, then uttered a single sentence. ¡°¡­Ascend, Parang. That¡¯s the only way.¡± ¡°Good. Now, store the memories you want in this necklace.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± And so, Alexandra and Alice each stored their memories in turn. Crack- Crackle¡­ ¡°This is¡­¡± Alexandra seemed quite surprised to see the ¡®evidence¡¯ cracking and about to break. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯ve sealed it temporarily with my power. My friend shouldn¡¯t see this too soon.¡± The scene at the East Sea Hive ended with Alexandra¡¯s memories being stored in the ¡®evidence¡¯. And immediately after. Whoosh-!! ¡°Wh-What?!¡± With a feeling of being sucked down, Parang¡¯s consciousness began to flow to another place. Given the circumstances, it must be going into Alice¡¯s memories. ¡®Alice¡­¡¯ Parang clenched her fist. Chapter 90: Life or Death, It Doesn’t Really Matter (1) Chapter 90: Life or Death, It Doesn¡¯t Really Matter (1)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Whooooosh- Parang¡¯s consciousness hurtled through an endlessly long tunnel at tremendous speed. Strangely, it felt exactly like swimming underwater, and even though the scenery looked the same in all directions, there was a palpable sense of velocity. ¡®This one¡¯s even longer than before.¡¯ To avoid boredom while staying still, Parang roughly organized in her mind what she had seen in the previous memory. The most concerning thing was, of course, Alice¡¯s condition. ¡®What on earth happened¡­¡¯ The image of Alice that Parang had seen was closer to that of a spirit or ghost rather than a human. Those tentacles that had bound Alexandra, the ability to create Capulus, and even her attitude as if she knew the future. It seemed unlikely that they would meet Alice in the same state as when they had first parted, even if they were to reunite. ¡®No. I should be grateful just to be able to meet her.¡¯ How desperately everyone had longed for a reunion with her, with their friend. Whatever Alice¡¯s appearance might be, Parang was okay with it. ¡®We¡¯ll be able to meet again soon, right?¡¯ Alexandra¡¯s memory was clearly from long ago, and the Alice living in it was also quite the Alice of the past. Parang couldn¡¯t know what had happened to Alice in the meantime, but she decided to think that way. That they would be able to meet soon. Anyone would have thought the same. ¡®And, um¡­¡¯ The next most concerning thing after Alice was, of course, Han Siwoo. ¡®What on earth is he thinking¡­¡¯ The person she thought she¡¯d be least likely to get involved with in her life was now giving Parang the biggest headache. What his plan was, why the original story was neither completely twisted nor followed exactly but subtly changed at an ambiguous level. How much he knew, whether he was alive or dead, damn¡­ Parang clutched her head again. ¡®If I¡¯d known it would be like this, I should have paid more attention¡­¡¯ They say karma accumulates without one¡¯s knowledge, and indeed, those words were not wrong. ¡®Next is the ascension ritual, and also¡­¡¯ As she was frantically organizing various thoughts that came to mind, she suddenly saw the end of the tunnel. ¡®Am I entering Alice¡¯s memory now?¡¯ Parang swallowed hard. It had been a while since she felt this nervous. And then, whoosh!! The dark view suddenly filled with light, and Parang emerged from the tunnel. ¡®Huff¡­ huff¡­ this is¡­¡¯ She quickly surveyed her surroundings. ¡®This is¡­ this is¡­ huh¡­?¡¯ ¡°Where¡­ is this¡­?¡± What appeared before Parang was a long, spacious hall stretching far ahead. The floor was made of marble, polished so brightly that it was hard to tell whether it was a mirror or stone. On both sides of the walls, Doric marble columns stood in a row. The sight of these columns, standing tall towards the ceiling without a single deviation, emphasizing their flawlessness, gave a sense of pressure even to Parang, who had seen all sorts of sights with her own eyes. In the center, a luxurious black carpet stretched out as expansively as the hall itself, and similarly, solid black curtains hung at various points along the walls. At a glance, it was hard to tell whether this was underwater or on land, but Parang immediately knew that this place was underwater, specifically at the bottom of the sea. ¡®Those, those are¡­!¡¯ What Parang saw there wasn¡¯t just marble and curtains. ¡®S-statues¡­!¡¯ About thirty to fifty statues, statuettes, were kneeling in two rows along the hall at regular intervals. The statuettes Parang caught sight of were roughly ten thousand. Just by looking, one could tell whether they were just kneeling statues or statuettes. ¡®What on earth is this¡­¡¯ The existence of these things meant that this place was indeed underwater. ¡®Is this somewhere in the Hive, or is it an Object?¡¯ As far as Parang knew, there was no Hive that looked like this. However, there had been instances of ¡®hidden spaces¡¯ discovered in the previous South China Sea Hive. Well, regardless of where this place was, its purpose seemed clear. Parang hadn¡¯t just read hunter stories. Of course, she had read numerous fantasy novels as well. And the scene unfolding before her eyes now was an exact replica of the ¡®audience halls¡¯ that typically appeared in those fantasy novels. And if this place was an audience hall, that meant if Parang turned her head here¡­ ¡®Ali¡­ce¡­?¡¯ She would be able to see the queen¡¯s throne. ¡®This, this is¡­¡¯ Actually, she had expected this. The space Parang had fallen into looked like an audience hall even as she was diving, and this was Alice¡¯s memory after all. If there was a place where Alice might be in this place, Parang knew it could only be the throne behind her. However, actually seeing it was quite different from just imagining it in her head. ¡®Huh¡­!¡¯ Parang took a sharp breath. Whether this was fortunate or unfortunate. At least Alice wasn¡¯t existing in the worst form Parang had imagined. That is to say, she wasn¡¯t in a state where her body was completely twisted, sitting regally on the throne like a true queen, looking down on the monsters. However, since it wasn¡¯t a dramatically better sight either, Parang was just a bit taken aback. Pop-pop-pop- She was floating inside a cocoon filled with purple liquid. Thump- Thump- That cocoon, made of a black membrane, was filled with purple liquid and had grown on top of the marble throne. Thump- Thump- As if crying out to let everyone know it was alive, the cocoon pulsated steadily, revealing the silhouette of a woman lying peacefully inside. ¡®Damn, I can¡¯t see the inside properly¡­¡¯ As Parang was examining the cocoon, changing angles here and there, ¡®Wait, do I really need to do this?¡¯ Realizing that she was in a state close to an astral body, she simply plunged her face into the cocoon. And inside that cocoon. ¡®Hup¡­!¡¯ She made eye contact with Alice. Eyes so wide open it was chilling, eyes emitting a fierce aura along with a purple glow. ¡®H-how¡­!¡¯ Startled, as Parang was about to quickly pull her body back, she discovered something. ¡®Wait, this is¡­¡¯ [ Status Window: Alice Melville ] ¡®Status window¡­¡¯ Looking closely, Alice wasn¡¯t making eye contact with her. She was just looking at the status window that had appeared in front of her eyes. The status window was positioned where Parang had stuck her face in. ¡®That scared me¡­¡¯ After catching her breath for a moment, Parang changed her position and read through Alice¡¯s status window. [ Status Window: Alice Melville ] [ Personal Skill: Deep Sea Para!&$^!*# ] [ Skill information cannot be confirmed. ] [ Penalty information cannot be confirmed. ] [ Skills ] [ Clairvoyance(S), Fish-eye Lens(S), Splend@$& ¡­ ] [ Abnormal Status ] [ Fusion, Mutation, Restraint, Binding ] ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ As there was constant static noise interfering with the letters making it hard to read, Parang slightly furrowed her brow and struggled to read it. ¡®Fusion and mutation, huh¡­¡¯ It seemed clearly related to this damaged status window. Could it be that because she had fused with and mutated into another being, even her status window had been eroded? Thinking about it that way, it certainly seemed to look like that. Parang looked at Alice with a pitying gaze. Mixing with and mutating into an unknown being must surely be an unimaginably painful experience. ¡®If only then, just a little more¡­¡¯ Swish swish. Parang forcefully shook off the thoughts that were about to lead her down a bad path again, and refocused on the memory. Then she saw something that wasn¡¯t visible before. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ As she turned her gaze away from the status window and Alice¡¯s eyes, she saw numerous threads restraining Alice. Those purple, vein-like things weren¡¯t just binding Alice, but seemed to be constantly injecting something into her arms and legs where they were embedded. Parang¡¯s insides boiled with anger. Contextually, it seemed certain that whatever was flowing into Alice¡¯s body through those was related to the ¡®fusion¡¯ or ¡®mutation¡¯ mentioned in the status window. ¡®What on earth is this¡­¡¯ Judging by the statues kneeling outside, this place seemed to be related to the statues, or more broadly, to the eye that controlled the statues. ¡®Then what¡¯s being injected into Alice¡­¡¯ Though she didn¡¯t want to accept it, it was probably related to that eye, or possibly even a part of it. ¡®But how on earth did she escape from here?¡¯ Alice was visibly in a greatly weakened state. Just as Parang was about to ponder how she could have escaped from this place when she looked too weak to even break free from the cocoon, let alone evade the statues outside, Rumble rumble- ¡®Huh?¡¯ Rumble rumble-!! Just as she thought she heard the ground rumbling somewhere. Boom!! Crash!! Rumble rumble rumble!!! Thud thud thud!!!! ¡°Ugh, aah!! W-what is this!!¡± Suddenly, with a thunderous boom, the cocoon containing Alice began to shake violently. Alice seemed as surprised as Parang, her eyes widening even more than before. The startled Parang went outside the cocoon to check the situation, and saw that the hall where Alice was located was shaking fiercely as if it was about to collapse entirely, and the statues that had been kneeling motionless were now running around in all directions, seemingly confused and not knowing what to do. ¡°W-what on earth is going on¡­!!¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And amidst that chaos, very carefully. Crack- Crack- Rip-!! Tearing through the cocoon that had grown on the throne, Alice Melville¡¯s eyes gazed out at the outside world. Chapter 91: Life or Death, It Doesn’t Really Matter (2) Chapter 91: Life or Death, It Doesn¡¯t Really Matter (2)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Rumble!! Boom!! ¡®W-What on earth is going on?!¡¯ While Parang was bewildered by the chaotic situation that seemed to make the entire ground rumble and shake, it appeared that Alice thought she had found an opportunity to escape. Fortunately, even amidst the overwhelming confusion, Parang was able to focus properly on Alice and didn¡¯t miss that scene. Rip- Riiiip- Alice, who had made a tiny hole, peered outside through it. Her eyes darting back and forth restlessly were clearly in search of a suitable escape route. Her movements were so cautious that Parang also became tense. Continuously rip, riiiip. At first, Alice had been carefully and stealthily tearing the cocoon as if trying not to draw attention in this chaotic situation, but as it seemed the statues couldn¡¯t notice her tearing the cocoon amidst the confusion, her actions became bolder. Now the hole had widened enough for Alice¡¯s face to be fully visible from the outside. Rumble!! Crack!!! Yet the vibrations showed no signs of stopping, and the statues were frantically running around trying to prevent the building from collapsing. ¡®Those guys, aren¡¯t they guarding the cocoon?¡¯ It was clear that nothing in this building seemed more important than the cocoon containing Alice, yet not a single entity was trying to check on the cocoon¡¯s condition. Parang could only find it perplexing. ¡®No, wait, looking closely¡­¡­.¡¯ This, rather than movements stemming from simple negligence¡­¡­. ¡®Are they just¡­ unable to approach?¡¯ That thought was correct. From the moment Alice made a hole in the cocoon, no, from when the entire building started shaking, no, perhaps. ¡®From the very beginning¡­?¡¯ Yes. From the very beginning, the statues had not approached within a certain distance of the cocoon containing Alice. To verify if it was true, Parang flew to the ceiling of the building and looked down at the scene. ¡®I-It¡¯s true!¡¯ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Surprisingly, the statues were not even setting foot within a radius of about 5 meters centered on the spot where Alice¡¯s cocoon was. From the moment Parang had entered this memory, continuously. No, perhaps, with almost 100 percent certainty, even before that. The statues had not stayed near Alice. Whether they hadn¡¯t stayed or couldn¡¯t stay, that was unknown. And as far as Parang knew, her old friend Alice was¡­¡­. Rip, riiip!! Absolutely not one to miss such an obvious opportunity. She tore open the cocoon she had been in with all her might using both hands and stepped outside. An ominous aura surrounded her entire body, and the needles that had come out with her from the tank left wounds all over her body as they fell out clumsily. Her blood spread like mist in the water, and the veins beneath her skin glowed purple in various places. Her face was gaunt, and her body trembled as if it might collapse at any moment, probably from not having moved for a long time. And the status window was accurately describing her condition. [ Warning: ¡®Fusion¡¯ has been abruptly terminated before completion. Severe abnormalities detected in the user¡¯s body. ] [ The probability of death is very high unless fusion is resumed or other appropriate measures are taken. ] Inside and outside her body, numerous pieces of evidence clamored that she would soon die. But, her eyes. Eyes that shone brilliantly with a light purple hue, beautiful and pristinely clear. Those unyielding eyes that looked only forward, despite barely standing with a trembling body. Those eyes, filled with a burning desire for survival and an even more intensely surging will, were saying that Alice had absolutely no intention of dying here. Alice quietly turned to look at the cocoon she had torn and emerged from. Rip- Riiiip!! As she grabbed it and forcefully tore it off to drape it over her back, she looked as if she was wearing a purple cloak. ¡®Huh? That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡¯ And from inside the cocoon that Alice had torn off, something caught Parang¡¯s eye. Black mist. In the place where Alice had just been lying, a black mist in the exact same shape as her was settled. Parang had seen that faint purple light emanating from where the eyes should have been before. ¡®That¡¯s, from that time¡­¡­.¡¯ The mist-like monster she had seen in Alexandra¡¯s memory. It was the entity that had appeared when she first saw the Slayers¡¯ memory. If Parang¡¯s life were written as a novel, it would be around chapter 44. ¡®That, it feels like¡­ Alice¡¯s byproduct or something.¡¯ Does this mean that the Slayers were originally supposed to fight the fused Alice instead of that thing? Parang wanted to ponder this more, but for now, she needed to focus on the memory right in front of her, so she momentarily turned her attention away from it. Meanwhile, Alice, whether through instinct, intuition, or deduction, seemed to have realized that there was no one here to stop her, and she began to walk forward slowly but surely. Tap, tap, tap. The sound of bare feet stepping on the stone floor shouldn¡¯t be audible underwater, of course, but strangely, Parang could hear it very clearly. The building was still shaking violently, but oddly enough, the space where Alice stood and its surroundings were infinitely calm, like a clear lake without a ripple. The statues inside the building were quietly watching Alice, who had torn out of her cocoon, as if they had become real statues themselves. As they stopped fixing, the rumbling building began to collapse rapidly, with stones and decorations falling mercilessly from the ceiling, walls, and pillars. However, these things, falling slowly through the water, far from stopping Alice, only added to the dramatic effect as they showered down around her. And as she walked out of the collapsing audience chamber, she finally reached the door. During all this, the statues couldn¡¯t even come near her, as if blocked by an invisible wall. Alice, who had encountered no interference, pushed open the thick and heavy stone door with all her might, and the outside scene unfolded before Parang and Alice¡¯s eyes. ¡®Th-This place¡­!¡¯ The scenery outside was something Parang had never seen before. They were at the top of an underwater mountain. An enormously huge mountain, so large that one might believe it stretched from the very bottom of the sea all the way to the surface. Parang had never seen such a gigantic mountain, not on land, and certainly not under the sea. A pale, treeless stone mountain rising majestically in the beautiful, bright turquoise water, with a temple perched at its summit. From the main entrance of the temple to the base of the mountain, there was a wide road winding down along the mountain¡¯s contours, and the entire mountain was filled with black stone buildings in an ancient Greek style. The sizes of these buildings varied greatly; some looked like houses for humans, others like homes for giants, and the largest ones seemed as if they could house a great mountain inside. And that¡¯s not all; far below, at the foot of the mountain, the expanse of black buildings continued for quite some distance across the plain. Although Parang had no idea where this place was, there was one thing among the things she knew that had a similar feeling to this. She unconsciously muttered that word aloud. ¡°Atlantis¡­¡± The lost city, Atlantis. Parang thought that if it really existed, it might look something like this. But that thought was brief, as there was plenty more to shock Parang and Alice. For one thing, there was the source of this vibration that had been shaking the entire seabed incessantly until now. Parang had thought this was a naturally occurring earthquake. In fact, the seabed crust was unstable, and such earthquakes occasionally occurred during explorations. But this time was different. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Not far from the mountaintop where Parang and Alice were located, ¡®that eye¡¯ was there. [ The skill ¡®Waterproof Sanity¡¯ is currently active. ] The eye that Parang ultimately had to exterminate. The very being that could drive people mad just by looking at it was there. ¡®Urghh¡­!!¡¯ Parang¡¯s head started to ache intensely. Throbbing. It felt like trying to wake up from a hangover after drinking heavily. Alice, strangely enough, didn¡¯t seem to feel any discomfort. Could it be the effect of the fusion? But that was it. There were no particularly strange or unpleasant effects beyond the headache. Even in her confusion, Parang remembered that her real body was underwater. ¡®How did I manage to rest in the tank even then.¡¯ Parang thought that she had greatly benefited from the habit of sleeping in the tank, and decided that she should continue to sleep in the tank as much as possible in the future. Its eyeball was not visible, perhaps facing the opposite side of the temple, which allowed Parang to see its back. Parang thought this might be the reason for the relatively mild mental burden. Even when she first saw it, the mental attack had started from the moment ¡®the eye opened¡¯. Thinking that the clue to exterminating this eye monster might be here, Parang desperately tried to engrave this fact in her mind. ¡®It¡¯s my first time seeing its back. It looks surprisingly ordinary.¡¯ Looking at it from behind, it just looked like a sphere with a few tentacles attached, but then Parang noticed something incongruous. Beyond it. That is, what the eye was looking at now. What was facing the eye looked a bit bizarre. No, rather than bizarre, it was more like¡­ absurd. What was there was¡­ [ Kraken ] It was¡­ the word ¡®Kraken¡¯. Yes, just the word. As if someone with poor editing skills had forcibly inserted a text box into a photo, there was the word ¡®Kraken¡¯ existing in a place where a chunk of the blue sea had been cut out, leaving only a white background. Just in Korean, that is. ¡®What on earth is that¡­¡¯ Parang couldn¡¯t just ignore this, so she sorted through a few possibilities in her mind. ¡®First of all, there¡¯s no such creature that looks like that.¡¯ It¡¯s nonsense to think that something looking like that was causing this earthquake by confronting the eye. There¡¯s a high possibility that a distortion of perception occurred at some point in the process of Alice¡¯s memory being transmitted to Parang through evidence. ¡®Then where?¡¯ For one, it¡¯s unlikely to be that eye and the Kraken. There¡¯s no way they could overlay the word ¡®Kraken¡¯ in such a docile font onto the memory. This is human handiwork. ¡®But if we say a person did this, it becomes even stranger.¡¯ Is there even anyone who could meet Alice? The one whom Oceanos couldn¡¯t find even after searching the entire ocean? This is also dismissed. Then only one possibility remains. ¡®Alice herself.¡¯ For some reason, she cut out the image of the Kraken that remained in her memory and implanted that text instead. The method and intention are still unclear, though. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask about this too if I meet her later.¡¯ Parang stuck another memo in her mental notebook. Chapter 92: Life or Death, It Doesn’t Really Matter (3) Chapter 92: Life or Death, It Doesn¡¯t Really Matter (3)Deep Sea Fish Hunting Specialty Broadcast Rumble- Boom- The two beings continue to face off, causing all of Atlantis to violently shake. Parang couldn¡¯t understand at all how the battle between those two was taking place. From her perspective, the Kraken¡­ or what was presumed to be the Kraken in text form, and the eyeball monster were just floating there, staring at each other. But she could definitely feel that the two were in combat. ¡®Hostility¡­¡¯ This was because the immense hostility emanating from the Kraken overlaid with text in the distance was being fully transmitted to Parang. ¡®The Kraken¡­¡¯ It was surprising enough that it could possess hostility, but what was even more astonishing was that she wasn¡¯t particularly shocked despite being engulfed by the hostility of such a formidable being. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m its daughter?¡¯ Parang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her own thought. Daughter, she says. Wouldn¡¯t that make her a being with an eldritch horror as a parent? If the parent is an eldritch horror, it¡¯s only natural for the child to be one too, so Parang would be an eldritch horror by extension. ¡®I¡¯ll absolutely pass on that.¡¯ After all, Parang is a pure human, 100% human no matter what anyone says. The idea of being an eldritch horror is preposterous. While Parang was lost in these thoughts, Alice was blankly watching the Kraken and the eye fight. It¡¯s understandable to be dazed after witnessing such beings in combat. It¡¯s strange. Parang aside, Alice seemed unfazed despite seeing the eye monster and the Kraken simultaneously with her own eyes. She wasn¡¯t clutching her head or showing any expressions or body movements typical of someone entranced. It¡¯s as if she was just watching the confrontation between those two without any mental processing. If there¡¯s one reason she could be acting like this, there¡¯s only one possibility. ¡®It must be the effect of that fusion or whatever it is.¡¯ It would be reasonable to assume that¡¯s why Alice is so calm. ¡®Anyway, we can¡¯t just stand here watching this.¡¯ Alice¡¯s situation is urgent, after all. Her physical condition was visibly deteriorating rather than improving from earlier. Her skin, now much paler than before, was clear evidence of this. Even though Parang had already confirmed that Alice was alive, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart trembling. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Come to think of it, how on earth did she survive?¡¯ Parang had initially thought ¡®somehow she managed to survive¡¯ after confirming Alice was alive, but now that she thought about it, wasn¡¯t this situation hopelessly desperate? In the vast open sea, with an unstable status window making it impossible to know where they were, and even if they reached land, it was questionable whether Alice¡¯s condition could be treated. Moreover, Alice herself hadn¡¯t predicted this situation. Judging by her eyes and actions, Alice had simply seized an opportunity to escape when she saw the sudden vibrations and changes in the situation. Alice¡¯s eyes were still full of the will to live, but Parang could also see that she was gradually losing hope. Splash- Nevertheless, Alice began to swim rapidly, kicking off from the ground. As if asserting with her whole body that her story wasn¡¯t over yet. She was heading in the direction down along the rocky mountain. This could be considered a somewhat rational decision. In a life-threatening situation, diving towards those transcendent beings would be nothing short of suicide, so she was going in the opposite direction. And since the ¡®fusion¡¯ itself happened here in Atlantis, where Alice is currently located, the solution is far more likely to be found in Atlantis than anywhere else. If one had to pick the most probable location, it would be the temple Alice escaped from, but unfortunately¡­ Rumble!!! The temple, which had to withstand the strongest earthquake head-on, had already collapsed, with about half of it resembling ruins, making it impossible to enter or do anything else. As they swam down along the rocky mountain, Parang could observe the scenery of Atlantis in more detail. This was partly because Alice was swimming right above Atlantis, as she needed to find something ¨C whatever it might be ¨C in Atlantis, but also because the rumbling vibrations clearly diminished as they moved further away from the mountain peak, where those monsters were battling. The scenery of Atlantis closely resembled the ancient cities Parang had seen in picture books as a child. The kind of old Greek cities that any child raised in South Korea would know what they looked like, even if they had never visited them. On both sides of the winding alleyways stood beautiful and antique stone buildings, with busts and statues ¨C that is, real stone statues ¨C erected here and there along the streets. For some reason, there were also structures that looked like fountains and wells. And in between, large and small living statues could be seen walking around and doing things, which was a bit strange. Their movements seemed like clumsy imitations of human actions. They would stand still facing each other as if in conversation without even the slightest movement, or make drinking motions without holding anything in their hands, or pretend to draw water from wells. While that alone was strange and eerie enough, what Parang found truly odd was something else. ¡®Why is everyone so¡­ uninterested?¡¯ Despite the battle between those formidable beings taking place on the mountaintop not far away, the statue, the sculptures, showed no interest at all and simply continued doing their own tasks. ¡®Response to stimuli¡¯ is one of the most basic conscious reactions, isn¡¯t it? Even trees on land or seaweed and coral in the ocean react when given stimuli, but these statue showed no reaction whatsoever despite the incredible stimulus given to them. Parang, who had fought countless battles with these sculptures, knew. That their cognitive abilities were certainly not lacking. From not approaching Alice earlier in the temple to now, there were numerous strange points in their behavior. It was as if they didn¡¯t know how to do anything other than this. Beings that only know how to perform given actions, repeating only one behavior if there¡¯s no additional input. Parang knew of similar beings. ¡®Robots.¡¯ Thinking about it carefully, there were quite a few similarities between statue and robots. But if those were robots, who made them, how, and for what purpose? Did they naturally emerge from beyond the gate? Or is there a factory that automatically produces these? As they continued to advance, the scene unfolding before their eyes became increasingly bizarre. No, to be precise, the scenery hadn¡¯t changed. It was just that Parang, now aware of the sense of discomfort, started noticing more and more peculiar points. There were sculptures lying on the ground, flailing their limbs pretending to walk, some standing motionless staring at blank walls, and others hoeing empty ground without a hoe. ¡®This is just¡­¡¯ As Parang observed these grotesque yet subtle scenes, just as thoughts were about to flood in, Wooooood- Kwaaaang!!! From behind, in the direction where the Kraken and the eye were facing off, an enormous boom of a completely different dimension from before was heard, and simultaneously, ¡°Kuheck¡­!!¡± Alice suddenly coughed up blood while swimming and plummeted to the ground. ¡°A-Alice¡­!!¡± Without even a moment to check the situation of the battle behind, Parang went down to check on Alice¡¯s condition, and immediately began examining her body here and there. ¡®¡­!¡¯ And the condition of Alice¡¯s body that Parang confirmed was far from anything that could be described as okay. Her already weak body had been completely shattered by the impact. The shock was so great that she could barely even crawl on the ground, just struggling. She was truly on the verge of her last breath. ¡®This, this is absolutely¡­¡¯ Even Parang thought that in this situation, there was no way for Alice to survive. But, the image of Alice conversing with Alexandra was clearly¡­ Parang was confused. Could it be that Alice, who had been talking to her then, was already dead? Had she already died, and only her soul was sent to speak to Parang? Had she left just one last word and then ceased to exist in this world? Parang¡¯s thoughts kept drifting in an unpleasant direction. Like that, the light in Alice¡¯s eyes was fading, and even the movements of her struggling body were slowly coming to a stop. Finally, as Alice¡¯s eyelids were slowly closing, and Parang¡¯s eyes were about to turn red, Splash! ¡®Splash¡­?¡¯ Something soft yet sticky fell in front of Parang and Alice. ¡®Wh-what?¡¯ Both Parang and the dying Alice were startled and looked at whatever was in front of them, and soon they could easily realize what it was. ¡®The Kraken¡¯s¡­¡¯ The Kraken¡¯s tentacle that Parang had always seen. It was the tip of the Kraken¡¯s tentacle, cut off and still wriggling on the ground. ¡®H-how on earth¡­?¡¯ Parang hurriedly looked towards where the Kraken had been, but the Kraken was still just facing off with that eye, as before. Perhaps one of the Kraken¡¯s tentacles had exploded during the battle, and its debris was being scattered here and there? ¡®¡­but there¡¯s nothing like this anywhere else.¡¯ If that were the case, there should be piles of Kraken tentacles scattered everywhere, but there was nothing of the sort. In this vast Atlantis, only in one place, right in front of the fallen Alice, a piece of the Kraken¡¯s tentacle had fallen. Parang stared intently at that piece of tentacle. ¡®It can¡¯t be!!!! No way!! N-no, no, it can¡¯t be!! Th-this world is surely!!!¡¯ ¡°Kughk¡­!!¡± Then something vague, some¡­ thing. A memory, or something unknown, flashed through her mind and disappeared in the blink of an eye. ¡®Huh¡­? Just now¡­ that was¡­¡¯ Something nostalgic yet empty, regretful yet sad. It felt as if countless emotions had swept over Parang. But what really made Parang feel strange was something else. ¡®That emotion was definitely¡­¡¯ The emotion that felt the strongest among all those numerous emotions. Among the countless indescribable emotions, the only one that could be clearly recognized. It was neither fear, nor sadness, nor anger, nor joy. ¡®Yes, it was definitely.¡¯ A sense of betrayal. It was a sense of betrayal. Though it happened in just a fleeting moment, for some reason Parang felt that this couldn¡¯t be overlooked. So she tried to stare at the tentacle once more, but. ¡°Haap¡­!!¡± ¡°A-Alice?!¡± It was impossible. Alice had already grabbed the tentacle and was desperately eating it. In her eyes, the light of the will to live that had been fading was now visibly reigniting. From Alice¡¯s perspective, it was as if she had desperately grasped the last lifeline thrown to her just before death. Parang could only watch the scene in a daze. Who could say anything to that sight of her, clutching with both hands and somehow managing to chew and swallow that writhing tentacle that teeth could barely penetrate, a sight that seemed enough to drive one mad just by looking at it? And so, in silence, Alice devoured the entire tentacle. Chapter 93: Life or Death, It Doesn’t Really Matter (4) Chapter 93: Life or Death, It Doesn¡¯t Really Matter (4)¡°Al, Alice¡­?¡± Even knowing she couldn¡¯t hear, Parang softly called Alice¡¯s name. That¡¯s how shocking the scene unfolding before her eyes was. Alice¡¯s body, which had seemed so frail that it might shatter at the slightest touch, was rapidly recovering as she continued to eat the Kraken¡¯s tentacles one by one. Her emaciated limbs regained vitality, new flesh filled in where her skin had been pitted and torn, and color returned to her pale face. But at the same time, Alice was gradually transforming into a being that was not human. A lavender light began to emanate from her entire body, and her skin, which had just regained some color, quickly turned back to a white as pure as a winter snowfield, rendering its recovery meaningless. And then, the status window. [ Warning: Influx of unknown entity detected. ] [ Warning: Incomplete ¡®fusion¡¯ confirmed. ] [ Excessive amount of memories injected. ] [ ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö. ] [ Failed to define user. ] [ Redefining user. ] [ User identification in progress¡­ ] ¡®Failed to define? What nonsense.¡¯ Parang bit her lip as she looked at Alice¡¯s status window, which was spouting incomprehensible messages. ¡®Memories injected? And what¡¯s with those broken characters¡­¡¯ Had Alice become a being that even the status window couldn¡¯t define? Alice¡¯s eyes were tightly closed as she held the tentacles and ate diligently. Parang could only watch the scene with anxious eyes. And so, after what felt like an eternity, Alice finished devouring all of the Kraken¡¯s tentacles. ¡®¡­.¡¯ A suffocating silence lingered for a moment. ¡°Ugh, aagh, aaaaaaargh¡­!!¡± Suddenly, Alice began to wail, clutching her head. Eyes tightly shut, tearing at her hair with both hands. She rolled around on the ground, then started slamming her head against a nearby wall, tears streaming down her face from an unknown source. With a destructive force unimaginable for someone who had been on the brink of death moments ago, the statues and buildings around her were smashed and shattered indiscriminately. After a long while, as Parang watched the scene in silence, unable to speak or act, she unconsciously covered her mouth. Alice¡¯s rampage ceased, and she began to pant heavily as if exhausted. And then, after a bit more time had passed, Alice opened her eyes and spoke. ¡°¡­Parang.¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Parang was startled by Alice¡¯s sudden address. How could Alice be speaking to her when she was merely looking into a memory? It seemed impossible. ¡®Is¡­ is she talking to herself?¡¯ Confused, Parang looked around, but she couldn¡¯t find anything that would make Alice think of her. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking to you, Parang. I know, it must be confusing.¡± Even as Parang searched, Alice continued to look straight ahead and address her specifically. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A-Alice¡­? H-how on earth¡­?¡± ¡°I have things I want to tell you. But I won¡¯t be able to hear your words. I¡¯ll just tell you a few things you might be curious about.¡± ¡°Uh, oh? Okay¡­¡± The situation was so bewildering that Parang could only nod stupidly after hearing Alice¡¯s words. ¡°After¡­ eating this Kraken, I seem to have gained an ability similar to foresight, to see the future. I¡¯m confused too and don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s what, but you¡¯ll see this memory of mine through some method I don¡¯t know about yet.¡± ¡®Some method she doesn¡¯t know yet¡­¡¯ Parang couldn¡¯t exactly understand what kind of future Alice could see, but she knew it must be quite fragmentary. After all, Alice at this point didn¡¯t know that she would be using ¡®evidence¡¯. ¡°The reason I was just clutching my head and rolling around was because such a vast amount of ¡®memories¡¯ entered my mind.¡± ¡®Memories¡­¡¯ Parang recalled the message she had seen in the status window. ¡®Given the context, it must be the Kraken¡¯s memories.¡¯ But the Kraken¡¯s memories? What kind of content could they possibly contain? ¡®I didn¡¯t even know it was a being capable of having memories.¡¯ ¡°And the reason I¡¯m specifically addressing you is¡­¡± Here, Alice seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing. ¡°¡­Well, I saw a future where someone was watching this memory, and you were the only one there. That¡¯s why I¡¯m calling out to you. There¡¯s no other reason. And.¡± Alice closed her eyes for a moment, as if concentrating on something. ¡°And, yes. I have three things to tell you.¡± Parang listened more intently than ever, ears perked up. ¡°First, yes. Soon, that is, soon according to your time as you¡¯re watching this memory. The Monster Layer will rise. To a depth you can¡¯t even imagine.¡± But Alice¡¯s first words were so shocking that Parang couldn¡¯t help but doubt her ears. ¡®The Monster Layer? Rising? Wh-why? How? How much? C-can¡¯t we stop it?¡¯ ¡°We can¡¯t stop it. So prepare as much as you can. I believe you¡¯ll do well. I¡¯ll do my best within my capabilities too.¡± Even in her urgency, Parang tried to commit the contents of the conversation to memory. The Monster Layer rising. Even if it only rose to about 100m or 200m below sea level, the Distortion could reach the surface. Then the world¡¯s oceans would become an eldritch realm. It would be a catastrophe. ¡®We need to prepare.¡¯ If such a disaster couldn¡¯t be prevented, they should at least prepare to keep people from being swept up in it. ¡®I¡¯ll inform the Silo too, and do whatever I can.¡¯ Having organized her thoughts, Parang waited for Alice¡¯s next words. ¡°Are you done processing? I waited exactly 30 seconds. Next is about me¡­¡± Parang listened attentively once again. ¡°Um¡­ It seems like you, Parang, will have something to deal with right after seeing this memory. Right?¡± ¡®Something to deal with right away¡­¡¯ She must be referring to the matter of Association President Natsuko. Now that the ¡®evidence¡¯ to be used for her removal had been repaired. ¡°After you finish that, come to the place where we parted that day at noon the next day. I trust you know which place I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡®The place we parted.¡¯ There was only one place where Parang and Alice had parted. The place where Alice and Parang had been exploring together that day. The place where Alice had been dragged deep into the sea. That unforgettable place. Parang nodded silently. ¡°If possible, come alone. Please.¡± ¡®Alone? Why¡­¡¯ She was a bit puzzled. Surely the others from Oceanos would be just as happy as she was to know Alice was alive and that they could meet her again. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why it has to be this way. I¡¯m dying to see our other friends too. But for that day, I¡¯d like it if you could come alone first.¡± ¡®¡­.¡¯ Parang nodded for now. If she¡¯s insisting this much, there must be a reason. ¡°And lastly, I have a simple request. You know that photo we all took together at your house?¡± ¡®A photo like that¡­ Ah.¡¯ There¡¯s only one. A photo taken together at Parang¡¯s house. The very year Alice went missing, on Parang¡¯s birthday. A commemorative photo taken after gathering at her house to celebrate. It must be referring to that photo where everyone is smiling more happily than anyone else in this world. ¡°I¡¯d like you to always carry that photo with you. When you¡¯re in the water, when you¡¯re outside, when you¡¯re going somewhere. Always. Keep it with you.¡± ¡®The photo¡­? Out of nowhere?¡¯ Question marks popped up in Parang¡¯s mind again, but since Alice, who had seen the future, insisted this much, she figured there must be a reason and decided to do as asked for now. ¡°And really, really lastly, I hope you never forget that no matter what anyone says, you¡¯re my most precious friend in the world. That¡¯s all I wanted to say. Goodbye. See you next time.¡± ¡°W-wait!! I still have things I want to hear¡­!!¡± Parang urgently tried to reach out to Alice, but her consciousness was already being sucked away somewhere. Just like when entering the memory within the ¡®evidence¡¯. And so, Parang¡¯s consciousness returned to reality. # Mariana Hive, bottom. In the cave that serves as her dwelling in the deepest part of the sea, Alice slumped down onto a crudely carved stone chair. She crosses her legs primly and wiggles her snow-white feet that glow with a pale purple light. Her appearance is like that of a lonely princess sitting alone on a throne. ¡®By now, she must have seen it all.¡¯ She closed her eyes and concentrated her mind somewhere for a moment. Countless futures flashed through her mind. Destruction. Destruction. Salvation. Repetition. Salvation. Repetition. Void. Destruction. Salvation¡­. The countless possible endings this world could face. After quietly counting them, Alice opened her eyes again. ¡®Yes. As you said, if we don¡¯t want to be destroyed, we must move and struggle. Parang.¡¯ As she waved her hand a few times, chunks of rock detached from the cave wall with a rumbling sound, clumped together, and eventually formed the shape of a Capulus. ¡°Open your eyes.¡± Like a noble queen giving orders to her subject, she spoke to that rock. Rumble- Eyes appeared on what was just a T-shaped rock with nothing on it, and soon it floated out on its own. It was the moment Alice¡¯s eyes multiplied, drifting in the vast sea. ¡®Status window.¡¯ Since that day, after surviving by eating the Kraken, Alice had developed a habit of calling up the status window whenever she felt anxious. [ Status Window: Alice Melville ] [ Personal Skill: Reader of the World ] [ You have seen what should not be seen. ] [ Take responsibility for this. ] [ Skills ] [ World Reading(S), Bookmark(S) ¡­ ] [ Status Abnormalities ] [ Incomplete Fusion, Monsterification, Complete Opening of Eyes, Memory Injection: Yu Parang ] This doesn¡¯t improve Alice¡¯s condition or have any sort of psychotherapeutic effect. It just reminds her once again. About what she needs to do, and about the precious friend she must save. Chapter 94: Murder (1) Chapter 94: Murder (1)Puwaaaagh!!! ¡°Huuuurgh!!!¡± Splashing water everywhere, Parang suddenly sat up in the tank. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­¡± As if waking from a long nightmare, she breathed heavily. Her colleagues, who had been waiting for her to wake up, approached and surrounded Parang, asking if she was alright, but she couldn¡¯t give any answer. ¡°Nnnngh¡­¡± Her head felt like it was about to split open. The living Alice, the Kraken¡¯s tentacles, severed forms, Atlantis, and countless other scenes. With so much information crammed into her brain at once, she literally fainted. The headache was so severe that she felt like she might lose consciousness and collapse again. Looking at the clock, not even 30 minutes had passed since she fell asleep. Parang tried to explain what she had seen to her colleagues around her, but she felt her words getting stuck in her throat. She couldn¡¯t figure out where to start or what to explain to them. So, the only words she could manage to utter through her trembling lips were: ¡°¡­See for yourself. I, I need to rest a bit.¡± The sounds around her were muffled, as if she were hearing them underwater. She lay back down in the tank, almost collapsing. She tried to organize her thoughts, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Perhaps it was because she was so dizzy and tired. The more she tried to think, the more those thoughts disappeared like a hazy fog, rather than becoming clearer. Eventually, as her consciousness became drowsy, her awareness sank lower and lower. # ¡°¡­She seems to be asleep.¡± ¡°Yeah. Looks like it.¡± Outside of Parang¡¯s consciousness, the gathered Oceanos members were anxiously checking on her condition as they surrounded the tank where she lay. Since entering the memories contained in the artifact, her state could hardly be described as good, even jokingly. The color had drained from her face, her hands and feet were trembling, and her limbs and face were stiff as stone, showing no signs of movement. Given Parang¡¯s condition, it was only natural that reproachful glances were directed at Vertea, who had suddenly burst in and made Parang enter the memories. But ironically, the most flustered among those surrounding Parang was also her, Vertea. ¡°I, I didn¡¯t know this would happen. When I looked, there was clearly no problem at all. I only did it because the inner memories were the most important information for Parang. Of course, suddenly thrusting the artifact at her was wrong, but I had no other intention! Really!¡± Her hurriedly delivered words seemed to be accepted for now. The ¡®inner memories of the artifact¡¯ that Vertea described were indeed something that Parang needed to know before anyone else among them. Moreover, when the other Oceanos members checked the memories, they didn¡¯t show any of the abnormal symptoms that Parang did. Well, what¡¯s done is done, and considering that Vertea also experienced considerable confusion after viewing the memories, it was decided that her responsibility wouldn¡¯t be questioned if Parang woke up safely. They decided to sit around the tank for a while, both to talk about what they had experienced and to keep an eye on Parang¡¯s condition. Everyone cast worried glances at Parang, who slept quietly like a being detached from the world. ¡°Both during the last dive and this time, it seems like Parang is the only one taking severe mental damage.¡± ¡°Yeah. It could be just a mental issue¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Parang was known for her strong mentality, certainly not on the weak side. ¡°Well, maybe she wasn¡¯t in good condition. Considering the work Parang¡¯s been doing lately, it¡¯s understandable.¡± This wasn¡¯t a particularly satisfying deduction, but it was at least partially correct. Parang¡¯s life recently had indeed been so busy with various matters that she barely had time to breathe. However, Parang was also known for her good physical condition, and in reality, she had never shown any signs of struggle while managing that tremendous schedule. ¡°If it¡¯s not that, then there¡¯s only one possibility, isn¡¯t there?¡± Elvira said, resting her chin on her hand. Right. If there was one thing that set Parang apart from everyone else gathered here, it was just one thing. ¡°The Kraken.¡± She was the only one directly connected to a transcendent being, after all. ¡°Could it be that Parang really¡­¡± ¡°Hey. We agreed not to talk about that.¡± After that, a suffocating silence fell over the group. In fact, there was a point of doubt they had felt since first seeing Parang. Almost all hunters can perfectly control their skills with just a little effort. For them, the status window is literally like a third arm. Except for special cases where control is impossible due to penalties, it¡¯s possible to adjust and utilize all elements of that skill freely. Just like bending or swinging an arm. Of course, just as delicate tasks like sewing or playing an instrument require a lot of training, using all these elements in combat is another story. Anyway, that¡¯s how it is. However, Parang¡¯s Kraken is far removed from this concept. From the moment it¡¯s summoned, it unleashes a wide-area mental attack on both enemies and allies. In a world where it¡¯s possible to create fire that¡¯s not hot for specific people, failing to control a mere mental attack is quite ironic. It was an extremely ironic aspect. If it can¡¯t be controlled, it¡¯s natural to think that it might not be a skill. If it¡¯s not a skill, it means it¡¯s a ¡®unique characteristic¡¯ of the entity known as Yu Parang. Ultimately, this leads to the question of whether Parang is really human¡­ In the past, when Oceanos raised this question, they decided to stop thinking about it. They believed that the very act of raising such an insulting question about their dear friend was wrong. And that conclusion, at least so far, hasn¡¯t changed. ¡°Let¡¯s put aside that shitty curiosity and talk about Alice for a bit.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Where should we start?¡± And so, their conversation took a sharp turn, changing direction and proceeding somewhat bumpily. # Tap, tap. Parang walked through a space of complete darkness. She didn¡¯t know where this place was, why she could walk, or why she was walking. She had been walking for some time now, and she just kept on walking. Tap, tap. As if echoing through a cave, the entire space was filled with the sound of Parang¡¯s footsteps. After a moment, Parang came to a stop. Before her was a throne. A throne made of something sticky and black. The slime forming the throne would swell and burst, gurgle as if something was crawling inside, and weakly drip down to the floor. And on that throne sat Parang herself. It was her exact likeness, but somehow looking gloomy. Dressed in an elegant all-black dress, she sat with her legs crossed and her chin resting on her hand, eyes closed, looking both arrogant and noble. For some reason, Parang couldn¡¯t utter a word in front of her. The Parang on the throne had opened her eyes and was now staring at her. Those eyes were endlessly black, impure, and ugly. Looking into those eyes, Parang felt ¡®terror¡¯. The Parang on the throne seemed to notice this and grinned widely, baring her teeth. It was the smile of a predator that had found its prey. Parang suddenly realized that she had reached right in front of the throne. She didn¡¯t know when she had moved her legs. The Parang on the throne, still maintaining that unpleasant smile, reached out her hand and grabbed Parang¡¯s chin, pulling her closer. As she stared into those empty eyes, Parang was so terrified she wanted to run away immediately, but she couldn¡¯t. The Black-eyed Parang spoke. ¡°You think you can defeat me, don¡¯t you? How foolish.¡± Parang couldn¡¯t quite understand what she meant. ¡°Pfft, hahaha¡­¡± But without caring about Parang¡¯s confusion, the Black Parang continued speaking without changing her expression. ¡°How amusing. You seem to think you¡¯re human.¡± The moment she heard those words, it was as if Parang¡¯s blocked mouth had opened, and she was able to make a sound. ¡°Mmph!!! Uumph!! Uuumph!!!¡± But the words just swirled around in her tightly closed mouth before disappearing. Even she couldn¡¯t understand what she wanted to say. ¡°Ahahahahaha!! Kyahahahahahaha!!!!¡± Seeing her like this, the Black Parang laughed maniacally, and that laughter was so clear it seemed to strike directly into Parang¡¯s brain, and it was also terrifying. ¡°Kyahahahahahaha¡­¡± And so, Parang¡¯s consciousness faded away. Splash!! ¡°Ugh, aah¡­¡± Just when she thought her consciousness had completely faded, Parang¡¯s eyes opened. Parang¡¯s brain, refreshed from just waking up, started spinning rapidly, and soon understood the situation she had just been in. ¡®A dream¡­¡¯ It was a nightmare if there ever was one. What kind of dream was that¡­ ¡®How long was I asleep¡­¡¯ As she got up from the tank and looked around, the room was completely dark. Looking at the clock on the wall, it was 10 PM. She had been sleeping for half a day. Around the tank where she had woken up, she could see the Oceanos in various sleeping postures. Xiao was sleeping sitting up against the tank, Russell was sprawled out on the floor, Diego was leaning back in a chair¡­ They were all surrounding Parang. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, they were waiting for me to wake up¡­¡¯ Her heart suddenly swelled with emotion. No matter what, they really were good friends. Just as she was about to get out of the tank to cover them with blankets, she heard Vertea¡¯s voice from beside her. ¡°Feeling better?¡± With an undisguisable tired look on her face, she spoke in a languid voice. ¡°Vertea, did you all¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. You looked really unwell. We all waited together and ended up falling asleep.¡± Unable to find the right words, Parang remained silent for a moment before finally managing to utter a word. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°No, well, there¡¯s nothing to thank us for¡­ If it had been anyone else in your position, you would have done the same thing.¡± Vertea said, looking around at the sleeping Oceanos scattered here and there. ¡°We just did what needed to be done. As for the memory stuff, well. You have something important tomorrow, right? Let¡¯s talk after that¡¯s over. I¡¯m going to get some sleep now too. I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a bit early to go to sleep, but Parang couldn¡¯t bring herself to complain. ¡°And, I¡¯m sorry about thoughtlessly bringing out the artifact earlier. I should have been more careful¡­¡± With those words, Vertea¡¯s head drooped, and she fell asleep with soft breathing sounds. ¡°No way¡­¡± Parang couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask if Vertea had stayed awake until the end just to say that. It was a quiet night. Chapter 95: Murder (2) Chapter 95: Murder (2)Dawn. The time of life and awakening. Whether or not it knows the mindset of those who rise to start their day, the sunlight is simply bright. That warm and loving, yet irresponsible touch that enters through the narrow window gap, bends slightly as it embraces the water it suddenly encounters, burrows into the large tank, and finally gently caresses the eyelids of the one sleeping soundly. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡­¡± Yu Parang, waking up. Looking at the clock, it¡¯s five-thirty in the morning. For her, this is an extremely early rise. Perhaps it¡¯s because she fell asleep too early yesterday. As she got up and looked around, her colleagues who had been sleeping beside her were nowhere to be seen, having already left. ¡®They¡¯re incredibly quick¡­..¡¯ This part was a bit unexpected. Parang had wanted to talk a little with her colleagues about the memories she saw yesterday, and naturally thought they would have that conversation when they woke up in the morning. ¡®At least a message¡­..¡¯ Parang gathers her phone, logs into the messenger app, and checks the pending messages. [Russell Bright: We all decided to leave early because we have some busy matters to attend to. It seems like you have something important today, I hope you can finish it well. It would be good to wrap that up first, then meet to talk about the next steps.] At a glance, it¡¯s a message with an awkward tone. Who on earth sends messages like this? ¡®Seriously, he¡¯s so bad at lying.¡¯ It¡¯s Russell¡¯s distinctive way of speaking when he¡¯s lying. If the tone is awkward, at least the content should seem real, but it¡¯s too obvious. These folks who aren¡¯t even broadcasting like Parang, but just enjoying fishing at their own homes, what busy matters could they possibly have? They probably only heard vague talk about an important task ahead from Silo, and the conversation likely flowed towards letting Parang rest as much as possible. Such thoughtlessly good friends. And as a result, their judgment was very correct. Right now, Parang¡¯s mind was on the verge of explosion, in an extremely troubled state. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Parang opened another anonymous message that had come to her. ¨C Please come to this room by 8:30 in the morning. Along with this text, a map of the basement of the building where she was currently staying had arrived. Parang knows which room is being referred to as ¡®this room¡¯. It¡¯s the laboratory where the seal on the ¡®evidence¡¯ was broken. From the beginning, Parang and Silo had intended to use this artifact called ¡®evidence¡¯ for two purposes. One was to confirm the memories of the Slayers. The other was what Oceanos had only conveyed as an ¡®important task¡¯. ¡®Important task. Right. Important task.¡¯ Why hide it? That important task that Parang has to do is none other than the assassination of Natsuko, the head of the Hunter Association. In other words, Parang has to kill someone today. It¡¯s her first murder, counting both her past life and current life. While Parang disclosed everything else to Oceanos and her colleagues, this alone she did not tell them. The fact that she would become a murderer today, that is. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang wanted to bury this fact to the very end, beyond the edge of consciousness. The fact that she has to kill a person, that is. She is from 21st century South Korea, where no abilities or monsters exist. Her aversion to the act of murder is naturally bound to be tremendously high. Moreover, she has a rather sensitive personality, which makes it even more so. On top of that, she is now in a position where she has to meticulously plan and murder someone she has never even had a relationship with in her life. And what about the motive for murder? Isn¡¯t it ¡®because letting her live would be a threat to the world¡¯? This thought, no different from a psychopathic villain in a movie, keeps popping up in a corner of Parang¡¯s consciousness. And what about the method of killing? It¡¯s not simply wielding a weapon to kill, but a method of destroying the mind by forcibly pouring unbearable, terrible memories into the head. ¡®Isn¡¯t there a way to resolve this without killing? Just, persuading her, or maybe imprisoning her?¡¯ This is a question Parang has asked herself hundreds, no, thousands of times more. But, so cruelly. Every time she asked such questions, Parang only came closer to the conclusion that she had to kill Natsuko herself. Persuasion? Out of the question. If she tried to persuade her, Parang was far more likely to suffer something terrible. It was obvious that threats wouldn¡¯t work either. The Natsuko that Parang saw was an opponent who was utterly impossible to persuade. Look at what she was trying to do. To absorb a strong monster that has killed many people to become stronger, so let¡¯s release monsters into the city and let people die? Is that an idea that a human can come up with? Someone who seriously proposes that, even forms a team and pushes it as a project. Can Parang persuade her? Look at what she has already done. ¡°To confuse the Slayers, we will perform the ¡®ritual¡¯ to advance the date by about two weeks. The materials are already prepared, and we¡¯re ready to cut off only those who performed the ritual if things go wrong.¡± These are the words from the video received from Seo Sunwoo. The original novel describes how this ¡®ritual¡¯ is carried out. [ First, prepare a pregnant woman at full term, a handful of parasitic grass seeds, and a black goat starved for three days. And then¡­.. ] After reading that description, Parang was trapped in trauma for a while, unable to even eat. Even thinking about it again after time had passed, it couldn¡¯t be more disgusting. ¡®Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t understand how such a terrible description could appear in the novel.¡¯ It was a description that wouldn¡¯t have been strange to receive an immediate warning or content modification request from the site. It was also inhumane. If Parang had been in charge, she wouldn¡¯t have just let such a description slide. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ For a moment, Parang¡¯s head throbbed, and something seemed about to surface¡­ but then it disappeared. Well, anyway. The option of imprisonment is just as impossible. When one person¡¯s combat power equals that of an army, how could they possibly be confined and sealed away? It¡¯s nonsense. Moreover, cruelly enough. Even to the question ¡®Do I really have to do it?¡¯, Parang had no choice but to answer yes. If not her, there was no one else who could do it. But, no matter what. To kill someone she¡¯s never even spoken to, simply because it¡¯s necessary¡­¡­ ¡®No, no. Think simply.¡¯ Parang shook her head vigorously to clear her thoughts. This is a train of thought she¡¯s been through hundreds of times already. A meaningless repetition. ¡®Bury it. Don¡¯t think about it.¡¯ Parang thought. If it¡¯s a problem that can¡¯t be solved by thinking about it, the conclusion is to just ignore it. Parang knows that this is absolutely not a solution to her worries. But, ironically, this was also the only solution she could come up with. ¡®Since I¡¯m doing it anyway, I should do it properly.¡¯ Parang felt she couldn¡¯t bear it if unnecessary worries ruined the job and led to even worse results. Grumble grumble- As her raging thoughts quieted down, her body finally reacted, sending signals that she was hungry. Parang really wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat, but she couldn¡¯t continue on an empty stomach either. With no other choice, she left the room to at least eat some simple kimbap. # ¡°¡­So, you¡¯ll need to store the memory here.¡± A little time had passed, and it was now nine in the morning. Parang was standing in front of the artifact with a scientist from Silo. ¡°Here, you mean the memory?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The researcher¡¯s voice was so calm that it made this task seem as simple as folding paper. Does this person know that we¡¯re trying to create a killing weapon to murder someone? Surely they must know. If so, how can they be so calm about it? Ever since being asked to assassinate Natsuko, Parang had felt these emotions countless times. At such times, she even thought that perhaps she was the only twisted one in this vast world. But life has always been harsh, and there wasn¡¯t much Parang could do about it. After all, this was also something she had to do. Parang grasped the evidence and held it to her forehead. Then she injected the memory. She had already decided which memory to inject. The memory of when she first saw those eyes. The most terrifying and horrific thing Parang had ever seen in her life. With mixed feelings, Parang stored in the artifact her encounter with that thing, which she thought should never be revealed to the people on the surface, no matter what. ¡°¡­It¡¯s done.¡± The necklace in Parang¡¯s hand once contained a luminous green jewel, but now it was a dull, dark black. ¡°¡­The operation is at seven this evening. Here¡¯s the location.¡± The place the scientist pointed out was the Warp Station in Ulsan Metropolitan City. Not too far from Parang¡¯s home in Pohang. ¡°You can rest comfortably at home until then. The details are here.¡± Parang picked up a file folder that had appeared from somewhere, with a heavy heart. Rest comfortably at home, they say. Considering Parang¡¯s state, that¡¯s complete nonsense. Parang returned home, carrying the heavy file folder and an even heavier heart. Chapter 96: Murder (3) Chapter 96: Murder (3)Rustle, rustle. The empty living room is filled with silence, and only the sound of turning pages fills the occasional gaps that seep in. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ As Parang flipped through the documents handed over by Silo, she deeply pondered the role she would have to play from now on. There wasn¡¯t anything particularly new in the documents. It was content she had already discussed with Seo Sunwoo several times, and she had read similar plans many times before. It¡¯s not like Parang, the person executing such an important task for a major corporation like Silo, would be checking the plan on the day of execution. Even the Tang Dynasty army doesn¡¯t plan operations that way. The more she read the content she had already memorized, the more her mind filled with other thoughts. As those thoughts arose, she read the documents more intently to divert her own attention, resulting in her memorizing every detail of the operation without missing a single letter. In a way, this could be seen as a fortunate outcome. Although Parang herself didn¡¯t think of it that way at all. Anyway, Parang finished reading the documents with a complicated heart. Only a few minor details had been modified from the final version Parang had known. ¡®Nothing major.¡¯ She would have been more surprised if there had been significant changes. Looking at the clock again, it was already twelve o¡¯clock. Seven hours of time remained. To Parang, who knew herself well, sitting still and letting seven hours pass idly seemed like a very bad idea. She was sure she would spend that time mulling over countless worries, and that would surely not lead to a good outcome. So she tried various things to distract herself. Mindlessly scrolling through short-form videos, turning on the TV. Picking up a brush to draw, lying in water to calm her mind. But none of these yielded any notable results, and her heart remained unsettled. The consolation was that those fervent efforts had passed two hours, but the worry was that with about four hours left, nothing else came to mind to do. Facing this dilemma, Parang finally resorted to the last measure of ¡®organizing things around the house¡¯. Bedroom, kitchen, living room, closet, art room, bathroom¡­ Indeed, as she did a thorough cleaning and organizing, time passed well, and there was no room for distracting thoughts. ¡®Oh.¡¯ And then something caught Parang¡¯s eye as she wandered around the house cleaning. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ A strange mechanical device shaped like a crown to be worn on the head. ¡®So it was here.¡¯ The first day of Parang¡¯s broadcast, which now felt like ancient history. It was that ridiculous camera that Shin Yuna had made for her. That day, everything started when she saved her. Turning on the broadcast for the first time, nearly getting assassinated by the world government that saw it, making contact with Silo¡­ If she hadn¡¯t gone to save Shin Yuna that day, what would have happened to this world? ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Certainly, it wouldn¡¯t have turned out very well. Given how Parang is already making waves across all media, her action of saving Shin Yuna from a life-threatening situation is also already famous. While most voices praise Parang or express relief, there are also opinions like this: Parang is broadcasting to raise awareness about the dangers of the deep sea, so wouldn¡¯t it have been more effective if she had let Shin Yuna die then? There would have been a visual shock effect, and wouldn¡¯t it have been a good lesson for those unaware of the terrors of the deep sea? Well, that might be partially true, but Parang would have saved Shin Yuna even if she went back to that moment countless times. If asked for a reason, there isn¡¯t one. It¡¯s just that someone was dying right before her eyes. And she could save that person. That¡¯s it. For Parang, that action was just that simple. An action born from the thought of saving first without considering the consequences, when it looked like someone was about to die. To begin with, Parang wasn¡¯t the type of person who could even conceive of using someone¡¯s life for something. Concepts like sacrificing the few for the many were all far removed from her nature. It¡¯s ironic that she, who was like that, now finds herself in a position where she has to directly harm someone. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Stop thinking, stop thinking. Parang shook her head vigorously to erase her thoughts and focused on cleaning again, and when the cleaning was finished, the clock was already pointing to five-thirty. Now there really was nothing left to do, so Parang decided to leave a bit early and was about to head out¡­ when. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ She rushed back to the bedroom and grabbed a small metal plate she had left on top of the dresser. ¡®I wonder what these coordinates are for.¡¯ The very coordinates that Seo Sunwoo had handed her that day in the fancy restaurant. Those coordinates he had given her, saying she would naturally know when the time came that she needed to head there. She had gone to the location written on the coordinates right after receiving them that day, but found nothing and was left only with questions. ¡®I guess today is probably that day.¡¯ Parang tucked the metal plate with the coordinates deep into her chest and headed for Ulsan. # Meanwhile. Rustle, rustle. A room trapped in the same quiet stillness. A woman sat in a chair with an elegant posture, flipping through a file of documents. The Hunter Association President, Natsuko. Her red eyes mercilessly scanned the thin pages. ¡®Perfect. Perfect. Perfect¡­!¡¯ She too was reading the file prepared by Seo Sunwoo. A few days ago, when she heard about this plan from him, she was so ecstatic. Seo Sunwoo had ultimately failed to notice what Natsuko had done. Completely unaware of the terrible act she had committed, when his friend was in danger of being killed, he had passed on information to save her. Not knowing that she herself was the most dangerous monster and his mortal enemy. The plan Seo Sunwoo had given her was impeccably clean. A plan to eliminate Silo, who was trying to attack Natsuko, and their pawn, Yu Parang. After that, a plan to use this fact to launch a public opinion campaign, completely bringing down Silo, and for her to take everything. Of course, it was a plan meticulously manipulated by Seo Sunwoo so that the core assassination operation would not be affected. To begin with, the plan to ¡®deal with Silo¡¯s forces first, then launch a public opinion campaign¡¯ doesn¡¯t make sense. Natsuko doesn¡¯t know, but Silo already has all the information about the mass murder she was trying to commit. Even without revealing everything, if just one piece was released to the public, it was obvious that Natsuko¡¯s public opinion would fall to an irredeemable level. Thus, considering just the hand Silo held, it was completely nonsensical and absurd, but for Natsuko, who was only seeing the back of the cards, it was a thrilling and ecstatic operation just to imagine. Herself, standing alone at the pinnacle of the world, reigning supreme. Crushing everything in her way with overwhelming strength, standing proudly with everyone beneath her feet. Natsuko, without realizing it herself, squirmed in her seat, immersed in a sweet sensation as if dreaming. Not even dreaming that this sweetness was the perfume of hell leading her to the abyss. She headed for Ulsan. # Rustle, rustle. Not far from there. Another quiet room. A man sitting in an office chair flipped through a file of documents. Seo Sunwoo, the Asian Branch Director of the Hunter Association. He read through the operation plan with coldly burning eyes. In just a few hours, he would be killing Natsuko. His closest friend since childhood, the enemy who had completely taken away his life, and at the same time, a monster that should not exist in this world. Igarashi Natsuko. And simultaneously, himself, who had lost everything in life and had to live solely for revenge. He was about to go kill them now. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He still remembered the conversation he had with Natsuko when they were young. ¡°You know, one day I¡¯ll become incredibly strong and make sure no one in the world ever hurts!¡± The friend who spoke of such a noble dream with a bright voice had somehow become a monster casually planning mass murder. Seo Sunwoo still remembered the incident from that day. Inside the burning building, he saw clearly what she had done. He still vividly remembered her face as she calmly comforted him after the fire went out, having eaten alive the woman who had sworn to dedicate her life to him. That day, Seo Sunwoo swore in front of the incinerated lodge, shedding tears of blood. That he would tear Natsuko apart and kill her in the most miserable and painful way possible. If he couldn¡¯t do it with his own hands, he would at least witness the scene clearly with his own eyes. ¡®There¡¯s no use thinking about the past now, I suppose.¡¯ He put down the file and left the office. There wasn¡¯t much in his life that he regretted. There was a time when he regretted even being born, but now he didn¡¯t think much of it. If he had to pick one thing, well. Perhaps it would be the fact that he had never been called ¡®father¡¯. He headed for Ulsan. Chapter 97: Fire Wheel (1) Chapter 97: Fire Wheel (1)The weather was unusually pleasant. A slightly chilly breeze blowing in from the sea, mixed with the scent of salt. The summer evening sky was tinged with a mysterious blue color, neither bright nor dark, causing those walking around to fall into a subtle reverie. However, this fine weather held little significance for those gathering here now. The first to arrive in Ulsan was Parang. Of course, strictly speaking, the very first to arrive would have been the advance team dispatched by Silo. Parang was wearing a bodysuit as a precaution, with a neat suit over it. The fact that Parang was dressed like this meant she was attending an incredibly important event. Like meeting with high-ranking executives from Silo. Swimming dozens of kilometers every day had made her body incredibly fit, making her look like an actress on set. One might think that such a striking appearance would disqualify her as an assassin, but this wasn¡¯t an outfit she had chosen herself; it was requested. After all, today Parang was officially meeting with Natsuko to discuss the grading system for underwater hunters. While people around her were sneaking glances, unable to approach her, Parang arrived at a building. It was the Warp Station of Ulsan Metropolitan City. This was a very familiar place for her. Whenever she needed to take a warp home after going far away, she always came here. To have the strangest experience of her life in such a familiar place, the situation couldn¡¯t be more peculiar. And yet, the Warp Station she finally arrived at, carrying such mixed emotions, was surprisingly identical to how it usually was. People rushing about in a hurry, others sitting in chairs using their phones, and tired-faced individuals arriving through the warp. It was exactly the same scene Parang usually saw. It almost made her wonder if she had mistaken the location. ¡°We¡¯ll fill 90% of the people in the building with our people.¡± Silo¡¯s groundwork would have been completed long before Parang arrived, so nine out of ten people Parang saw now were Silo¡¯s people. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like that at all.¡¯ There¡¯s no way she could have really mistaken the place, so this must all be an act. ¡®This is no joke, really¡­¡¯ Staring blankly ahead, she suddenly realized this wasn¡¯t the time to be zoning out. ¡®Get it together, Yu Parang.¡¯ She hurriedly ran to the elevator and went up to the 5th floor, to the conference room. If you¡¯re wondering why there¡¯s a conference room in a Warp Station, it¡¯s because it was converted from what used to be a Hunter Association branch office. Most early Warp Stations were like this. Warp rooms that were originally attached as additional functions to important buildings gradually grew in size as warps became more common, until they took up a significant portion of the building and were converted into stations. This phenomenon occurred because warp devices are difficult to move once installed, and installing them costs more than moving them. In that sense, the portable warp device Parang used to kidnap a former World Government official could be seen as the very embodiment of an incredible technological achievement. Anyway, Parang entered the conference room. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived. This way.¡± A burly man in a suit guided Parang to her seat. Perhaps as a consideration from Silo¡¯s side, Parang¡¯s seat had a view of the sea through the window. While not as close as Parang¡¯s home, this building was also quite near the sea. The conference room was simply structured with a single table where people from both sides sat facing each other, but the intimidating atmosphere was palpable with formidable-looking individuals standing around the table. ¡°We¡¯ve also filled all the security personnel from the Association¡¯s side with our people. You don¡¯t need to worry about that part.¡± While it was certainly reassuring that all these people were on her side, the security guards¡¯ lack of expression made even Parang uncertain. Although Parang tried her best to remain calm, her chronic condition of becoming socially awkward outside of water made it difficult. ¡®I wonder if I¡¯m supposed to just keep sitting here like this.¡¯ Parang felt slightly puzzled by the lack of any final briefing or instructions. Not that she had experience with this kind of operation. While Silo¡¯s side had given very detailed explanations about the plan, they hadn¡¯t explained this part. Parang¡¯s uneasiness had also led her to leave a bit early. Anyway, in this rather awkward atmosphere, Parang sat quietly in her chair and waited. ¡®Think of something else, something else, something else¡­¡¯ She desperately tried to erase the negative thoughts. With nothing else to do, she mostly went over the details of the operation in her mind. ¡°After the meeting ends, there will be a time for the two of you to shake hands for a photo. At that moment, a fire alarm will go off to distract Natsuko, and you should quickly activate the departure and then inject the memory into Natsuko.¡± ¡°Out of all the possible methods, why a fire alarm?¡± ¡°¡­There are various reasons.¡± ¡®He looked a bit depressed then. I wonder why?¡¯ It was beyond Parang¡¯s understanding. And after some time had passed. Clunk- The door opened, and finally, she appeared. With jet-black hair as if cut with a ruler, and blood-red eyes that looked as if they might burst into a fountain of blood at any moment. It was the Association President, Igarashi Natsuko. At first, Parang felt slightly intimidated by her appearance. For one, she was an incredibly powerful individual, and her aura alone was imposing. Moreover, knowing what she had done, it wasn¡¯t surprising. ¡®Just now, there was something about that gaze¡­¡¯ Parang unconsciously clutched the ¡®evidence¡¯ hanging around her neck. It was an object that had been slightly crafted to appear as a simple protective artifact. But what really surprised her was the appearance of Seo Sunwoo, who entered right after. Although she hadn¡¯t met him many times, the image of Seo Sunwoo in Parang¡¯s mind was that of a cold, ice-like man. An impression that suggested not a drop of blood would come out even if you stabbed him. But the Seo Sunwoo who appeared before her today was completely different from before. His stiff, expressionless face remained the same, but his eyes. In those pupils that had always seemed cold, a fierce fire that looked as if it could burn everything was now blazing. ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ Seeing someone she knew somewhat well in such a state, Parang¡¯s tension skyrocketed. Moreover, officially, Seo Sunwoo and Natsuko were Association personnel, while Parang was an invited expert. The seating arrangement had Parang facing Natsuko and Seo Sunwoo. ¡®This is driving me crazy, really¡­¡¯ Sitting face to face with the two most intimidating people in the room, she felt cold sweat trickling down. Again, Parang was in her socially awkward state right now. She was trying her best in her own way. Parang¡¯s head felt like it was about to explode. The tension and anxiety about what was about to unfold, the pressure and burden from the space itself. On top of that, all the negative emotions and thoughts arising from the fact that her assassination target was right in front of her. It wasn¡¯t a state that could be described as comfortable, even jokingly. The fact that she was maintaining a poker face in this situation, while sober, was remarkable in itself. But her state seemed to be quickly read, as the Association President spoke first. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. It¡¯s not such a heavy occasion.¡± Hearing that clear voice like rolling jade beads, the realization that the person sitting in front of her was indeed a living human made Parang even more tense. Natsuko, perhaps mistakenly thinking that Parang was nervous because of the surrounding guards, looked around and continued speaking nonchalantly. ¡°Ah, you really don¡¯t need to mind these people. It¡¯s just that when such high-ranking individuals gather, we have to do this whether we like it or not. Especially in times like these.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Parang responded in a dazed voice. ¡°While being too relaxed is a problem, excessive tension can also ruin the work.¡± Seo Sunwoo also addressed Parang. ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ Making eye contact and talking with Seo Sunwoo was much better. If she had to keep making eye contact with Natsuko, Parang might have shed a tear. ¡°Well then. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. So, if you look here now¡­¡± And with that, the meeting began. The meeting was, indeed, a meeting. Truly substantial conversations that would affect practical work were exchanged, and the atmosphere reflected that. It was to the extent that Parang could easily imagine just finishing this meeting and going straight home. In other words, it was such an ordinary meeting that it was hard to believe it was set up for an assassination. In a way, this was natural. After all, Seo Sunwoo had built up to this moment. ¡®All that struggle that day wasn¡¯t for nothing after all.¡¯ Parang recalled her first meeting with Seo Sunwoo and the mind-splitting double conversation they had. ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll wrap it up here. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Finally, with Seo Sunwoo¡¯s words, the meeting came to an end. Outside, it had already become a dusky night. Parang let out an excited breath, trying not to show it. From the middle of the meeting, she had even slightly interjected from the perspective of the long-neglected underwater hunters, and found herself genuinely engaged in the discussion without realizing it. Parang noticed the reporter, who had been crouched in a chair in the corner of the room, stand up and come towards her. ¡°We¡¯ll now have a commemorative photo session. Please shake hands with each other and look at this camera. Thank you.¡± The reporter, with a strangely nasal voice, skillfully aimed the press camera at Parang. Natsuko rose from her seat with smooth and elegant movements and headed towards the center of the room, while Parang also awkwardly moved in that direction. Up close, Natsuko was a much more intimidating figure than Parang had imagined. For one thing, she was tall. Parang¡¯s tension reached its peak. She was trembling so much she could barely speak. ¡°You¡¯re so tense until the end. I¡¯m almost feeling hurt.¡± Natsuko, whether aware of Parang¡¯s inner turmoil or not, extended her hand with a bright smile. Parang looked at that hand for a moment, then finally grasped it. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m taking the photo. One, two¡­¡± And right at that moment. Waaaaaaaaail-!! ¡°A fire has broken out in the building. A fire has broken out in the building. Those inside, please quickly follow the instructions to evacuate¡­¡± As planned beforehand, the fire alarm went off, and in that split second when Natsuko¡¯s gaze turned elsewhere. All the lights in the room went out, and simultaneously, Parang activated her artifact. ¡°Departure!!¡± More precisely, she tried to activate it. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ She boldly shouted ¡°Departure,¡± but the water that should have burst forth was nowhere to be seen. ¡®What, what¡¯s going on. Is it broken?!¡¯ At such a crucial moment? With no other choice, Parang reached for the necklace around her neck, intending to use the ¡®evidence¡¯ without departing. To be precise, she tried to reach for it this time too. ¡°Oh.¡± In that instant, despite being in darkness where she couldn¡¯t see an inch in front of her, Parang felt her vision flip. By the time she thought something had touched her neck, she was already being lifted off the ground, held by something. ¡®What¡¯s, how, happening¡­!¡¯ She tried to struggle, but couldn¡¯t move at all. She was starting to suffocate. Her left ear felt particularly cool yet muffled. A moment later, the lights in the room came back on. Parang could now see the situation she was in. She was being held up in the air by her neck, gripped in one of Natsuko¡¯s hands. The ¡®evidence¡¯ had already been taken, clutched in Natsuko¡¯s other hand, and everyone in the room except Seo Sunwoo was sprawled out as if dead, each with one or two red spears piercing their bodies. Finally, Parang understood why she couldn¡¯t activate her departure. Her left ear had been completely cut off. ¡®How¡­?¡¯ Natsuko, as if finding the current situation extremely amusing, looked straight into Parang¡¯s eyes and whispered. ¡°To kill a person, that level of determination isn¡¯t enough, you poor little fish.¡± But such words didn¡¯t register in Parang¡¯s ears. She was far too confused right now. ¡®How did she know? Did she notice there was evidence? No, but even if she knew that, the plan to use it for murder¡­¡¯ Thousands of possibilities flashed through her mind, appearing and disappearing repeatedly. She just couldn¡¯t keep up with the situation. And in the midst of all this, Parang¡¯s gaze landed on one spot. On Seo Sunwoo, who hadn¡¯t sustained a single injury while everyone else in the room had fallen miserably. Parang¡¯s pupils immediately dilated and began to shake violently. ¡®No, this, this can¡¯t be.¡¯ Parang had considered the possibility of Seo Sunwoo¡¯s betrayal to be almost non-existent. She had confirmed multiple times during their meetings that Seo Sunwoo¡¯s anger towards Natsuko was genuine. But the current situation was telling Parang that she was wrong. Natsuko, noticing the change in Parang¡¯s gaze, started to cackle even louder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t believe the current situation? How naive.¡± The grip of Natsuko¡¯s hand around Parang¡¯s neck tightened even more. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? The one you trusted and followed has been my friend since childhood. From the beginning, you handed your leash to the enemy.¡± She seemed to be genuinely enjoying this situation. Her eyes scanned every inch of Parang¡¯s body. Like a predator contemplating which part to devour first. ¡°Smile. According to the plan my ¡®friend¡¯ devised, we need to take a picture too.¡± As she gently moved her other hand, the camera the reporter had been holding floated up and fixed itself in mid-air. Unlike the reporter who was a bloody mess, the camera appeared undamaged. Having her neck strangled for so long, Parang was struggling to maintain consciousness. The expression was fading from her face. ¡°I said, smile.¡± Natsuko, unconcerned, grabbed Parang¡¯s mouth and forcibly twisted it into a smile, then brought it in front of the lens. Then, turning to Seo Sunwoo, she said: ¡°Sunwoo, come here. We need to take a picture together. Ahahahaha!!¡± She was now stomping her feet on the blood-soaked floor like a child. Her expression was just like that of a child smiling at the sight of candy. Through her fading vision, Parang watched Seo Sunwoo walking towards Natsuko. Without making eye contact with Parang, he walked to Natsuko¡¯s side and affectionately linked arms with her. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sunwoo. Don¡¯t you want to say a final word to this poor little fish?¡± ¡®How¡­ could¡­ you¡­¡¯ Parang¡¯s words couldn¡¯t leave her mouth. Instead, only Seo Sunwoo¡¯s voice echoed in the quiet room. ¡°Right. I should say something. Hmm¡­ Hunter Yu Parang.¡± Suddenly, Seo Sunwoo rummaged through his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for putting you through this. I want to apologize. Sincerely.¡± ¡°See, my dear friend is apologizing. Forgive him a little, okay?¡± In Natsuko¡¯s blind spot, distracted by observing Parang¡¯s expression, Seo Sunwoo pulled out a small white mechanical device. ¡®That¡­ is¡­¡¯ In her fading memory, Parang barely managed to recall the identity of that object. It was the portable warp device that Parang had used when infiltrating a government secret base in the past. With it, Parang had successfully reversed the situation, taking a government official who was trying to torture her as a hostage instead. For some reason, that device was now appearing in Seo Sunwoo¡¯s hand. And then. Whoosh!! ¡°What, what!!¡± In a split second, Seo Sunwoo rushed in like lightning, embraced Natsuko from behind, and pressed the button on the warp device. Simultaneously, as Natsuko¡¯s hand released Parang in an attempt to stop Seo Sunwoo, she was freed from her restraint. As her fading consciousness returned, Parang could finally understand the current situation. Seo Sunwoo was trying to take Natsuko somewhere. Using the very method she had used. ¡°Hunter Yu Parang.¡± The figures of Seo Sunwoo and Natsuko began to disappear, turning into light. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the promised place.¡± And then, poof. Their forms vanished. Parang soon realized what this situation meant. Seo Sunwoo had taken Natsuko to the coordinates he had received. And those coordinates were. ¡®The East Sea¡­!¡¯ Which means. Natsuko is now underwater. And in very nearby waters at that. Parang¡¯s judgment was quick. She immediately tore off her suit and rushed out of the building. ¡°You¡¯re dead, bitch¡­¡± Her eyes blazed with fury. Chapter 98: Fire Wheel (2) Chapter 98: Fire Wheel (2)The sea. The deep sea. That place, endlessly dark and gloomy, yet teeming with countless lives. Swoosh- Splash!! In the midst of the dense abyss, a burst of light revealed two figures, a man and a woman. ¡°You, you just, what is this¡­¡­!!¡± ¡°Your expression is quite entertaining. What, are you seasick?¡± The time had finally come to sever the long, tenacious, and sticky ill-fated relationship. Natsuko, unable to grasp what had just happened to her, experienced a moment of confusion before finally understanding the situation. ¡°I see, from the beginning, you knew everything.¡± ¡°Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± Natsuko pondered Seo Sunwoo¡¯s words for a moment, then laughed. ¡°I was foolish. Of course you would have known.¡± Crack!! Before she could finish speaking, Natsuko¡¯s hand turned red and lunged towards Seo Sunwoo. She already knew that fighting underwater would give her no advantage. If that was the case, she had to kill Seo Sunwoo right now and surface before Parang could catch her. It was the right decision, and a quick one. Natsuko¡¯s arm pierced straight through Seo Sunwoo¡¯s chest. She had aimed precisely for the heart. Any normal human would have died instantly. However, Seo Sunwoo was far beyond Natsuko¡¯s expectations. ¡°Cough, hack¡­¡­!!¡± He coughed up murky blood. In the water, the blood spread like a fog. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Astonishingly, he was still alive. Natsuko¡¯s pupils dilated. ¡°I knew¡­ you would¡­ do something like this¡­¡± Suddenly, Natsuko felt a strange sensation in her hand that had pierced Seo Sunwoo. Not the soft flesh of a human, but the hard, cold sensation of steel. ¡°Habits are¡­ truly¡­ terrifying. Cough.¡± Hardening. It was Seo Sunwoo¡¯s skill. Even with his heart pierced, he had hardened his body. Natsuko tried to pull her hand out in panic, but as if caught on something, her arm wouldn¡¯t budge from inside Seo Sunwoo¡¯s body. ¡°Your habit, Natsuko. Always starting by piercing the heart, that habit.¡± He struggled to breathe as he spoke. Even if he had hardened his body with his skill, his heart was already pierced. Both Seo Sunwoo and Natsuko clearly felt his life slipping away quickly and surely. But along with his death, victory was also certainly approaching. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­¡­!!¡¯ Natsuko¡¯s demeanor visibly grew more anxious. ¡®Am I going to die? Here?!¡¯ That¡¯s impossible. Natsuko gritted her teeth. It was obvious that even at this moment, the monster was swimming towards her. ¡®Right. I need to escape first.¡¯ Natsuko tried to swim without removing Seo Sunwoo¡¯s body, keeping her arm impaled through him. It would be impossible for a normal human, but Natsuko was a monster. For her, it was entirely possible. However. Boom-! ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!!¡± Feeling a sudden, intense pain in her arm, Natsuko bit her lower lip hard. Her pupils contracted, and her expression turned to shock. ¡°Not so fast, my friend.¡± As she turned to look, Seo Sunwoo was smirking. The weight of his body impaled on her arm felt tens, no, hundreds of times heavier. And in reality, it was. Seo Sunwoo had made his body heavier. Natsuko struggled desperately to rise, but her body began to sink deeper and deeper. ¡®No, no!!!¡¯ Her expression grew more desperate, and her movements became more frantic, but. Nothing changed. Natsuko continued to sink deeper into the sea. Like a witch thrown into the sea with shackles. If there was any difference from history, it might be that Natsuko, despite being a real witch, couldn¡¯t rise to the surface. She looked at Seo Sunwoo with a shocked expression. Even as his breath was steadily fading, his face bore an incredibly satisfied smile. As the situation reached this point, the fear that she might actually die became firmly etched in Natsuko¡¯s mind. And this fear, experienced for the first time in her life, was far more terrifying than Natsuko had ever imagined. ¡°L-let go. I said let go of this!!¡± She struggled desperately to pull out her arm with an anxious expression never seen before. She even tried to cut off her own arm, but even that wasn¡¯t easy. Clang!! Clang!! Natsuko¡¯s arm, far from being cut, only produced sparks with a metallic sound. Seo Sunwoo watched Natsuko silently, without saying a word. As if he wanted to engrave this moment in his memory without missing a single detail. ¡°Why, why are you doing this? Why!!!¡± Natsuko screamed with a trembling voice. ¡°If you knew, then, that day!!! You could have just killed me!! Why, why now, why are you doing this now of all times!!¡± Her frantic voice was tinged with a hint of crying. Seo Sunwoo opened his mouth and spoke calmly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. ¡°Yes. I could have killed you that day. In that burning building, when you devoured Eunha who had run to you for protection.¡± His voice was wavering precariously, like a candle about to be extinguished. But the content was not. ¡°But I didn¡¯t. Can you guess why?¡± Natsuko said nothing and stared at Seo Sunwoo with her blood-red eyes, looking eerie. Natsuko had no way of knowing what the reason could be. After all, Seo Sunwoo¡¯s strategies had always been a step ahead of hers. But the words that came out of Seo Sunwoo¡¯s mouth were beyond anything she could have imagined. ¡°Because I wanted you to trust me, Natsuko.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Her pupils dilated. ¡°I wanted you to trust me. It¡¯s exactly as I said.¡± Seo Sunwoo, as if letting go of the last lingering attachment to life, revealed his true feelings to Natsuko for the first and last time, with a sense of relief. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? You¡¯re not just dying by my hand. At this moment, you¡¯re dying at the hands of the ¡®me¡¯ you trusted.¡± He bit his lower lip. ¡°Just like that child died at the hands of the ¡®you¡¯ she trusted that day.¡± Only then did Natsuko realize the true nature of the fierce fire burning in Seo Sunwoo¡¯s eyes. Fire Wheel. It was Fire Wheel. A burning chariot that sets itself on fire and rampages through enemy lines until it burns to ashes without a trace. ¡°For such, such a trivial reason, you¡¯ve been acting your entire life? For such, such a reason¡­?¡± ¡°Are you joking, Natsuko? What do you mean I devoted my entire life? That¡¯s nonsense.¡± In this cold sea, Seo Sunwoo was burning the hottest. Burning Natsuko, and burning himself. ¡°My life, you devoured it that day.¡± At those words, something snapped inside Natsuko. ¡°Ah, aah, aaaaaaargh!!!¡± Natsuko finally let out a despairing scream, unable to control her erupting emotions. And Seo Sunwoo saw something approaching over her convulsing shoulder. The waves of judgment were rushing in from far away. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s meet again in hell. My friend.¡± Only then did Seo Sunwoo close his eyes peacefully. At the same time, a notification window popped up in front of Natsuko. [ You have eliminated the Awakened, ¡®Seo Sunwoo¡¯. The target has killed a total of (71) humans. ] [ You have absorbed (32) skills. (24) skills conflict with your existing skills. ] Simultaneously, Seo Sunwoo¡¯s body changed back into a human form. His flesh became soft, and Natsuko could easily pull out her hand. She took rough, heavy breaths. Her heart was pounding. Seo Sunwoo had passed judgment on her just before his death. A judgment to meet in hell. Now, it was time for execution. An overwhelming presence was felt behind her. Natsuko turned around to face the blue before her. Whether it had automatically healed upon entering the water, the numerous wounds from earlier were nowhere to be seen, and her ear had grown back perfectly. Beautiful blue hair swaying in the water caught her eye. Shining blue eyes pierced through Natsuko. Natsuko felt stripped bare before her. It felt like confessing every sin she had committed in her life. If one were to be judged by God after death, would it feel like this? ¡°You still won¡¯t apologize, even at the end.¡± Those blue eyes saying this were also burning fiercely. More purely, clearly, and cleanly than anything else. And Natsuko also saw her own reflection in those burning eyes. There was no one with grandiose titles like predator or supreme being. There was only herself, transformed into a monster. Looking into those eyes, Natsuko instinctively knew. If there were a protagonist in this world, it would be that girl. Of course, Natsuko had no intention of falling here either. Her fist began to glow red. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I am.¡± Behind her, the silhouette of a massive tentacle appeared. Chapter 99: Connecting with God Chapter 99: Connecting with God¡®Huk- hueeuk¡­¡­!¡¯ Without realizing it, Natsuko let out a hot breath. In fact, even though she was submerged in the sea, Natsuko hadn¡¯t let go of her last sliver of hope. After all, there was no guarantee that she would lose to Parang. This was a thought Natsuko could have only because she had only superficially encountered Parang¡¯s abilities. Her calculation was that if Parang¡¯s ability was limited to mental attacks through the Kraken, she might be able to catch her off guard and win. However. ¡®That, what on earth is that¡­¡­¡¯ The premise that was a mistaken thought from the start. Even if Parang¡¯s ability was limited to mental attacks, Natsuko had no chance. Even though she could only see a faint form obscured by the distant sea mist, Natsuko¡¯s mental strength had reached its limit. That was, no matter how you looked at it, not something a mere human could summon. That level of power should not be given to a lower species like humans. That¡¯s how Natsuko felt. Natsuko was afraid. Even though Parang hadn¡¯t done anything yet, it felt as if tentacles were rushing towards her. It was as if they were burrowing into her head, forcibly pouring in the emotion of fear. If she ran right now, knelt down and begged, would she be able to live? No, she didn¡¯t even want to live. Living while being hostile to such an existence was something beyond human mental capacity. She wanted to die and escape from this world. Natsuko had always been quick to make decisions. She immediately aimed the hand that was preparing to attack at her own neck. If she stabbed her neck like this, she could escape. But Natsuko couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Because Parang told her not to. Natsuko¡¯s body froze in place as if it had been frozen solid. She didn¡¯t know how or why. It was just that the person in front of her had commanded it, so she had to obey. Even the slightest will to refuse that order had already disappeared from her. Natsuko had over a thousand skills, about fifty hidden cards, and two ways to come back to life even after dying. But right now, she couldn¡¯t dare to show even one of them. She thought it would be disrespectful. Things like techniques, strategies, and psychological warfare only work when both sides are beings of the same caliber. She was not in a position to fight right now. She was in a position to be punished. Natsuko politely clasped her hands together. According to Natsuko¡¯s memories and experiences, she should be having her mind violated right now. Like a parasite entering her brain, she should be losing her free will completely and degenerating into something far lower than human. But she didn¡¯t particularly care about that fact. After all, in front of this being, everyone was equal, mere insects. In front of a being standing at the very top of an endless staircase, being a step ahead or behind didn¡¯t matter. She saw ecstasy slowly approaching before her eyes. Something invisible crawled into her ear canal, playing ecstatic and beautiful music. Natsuko quietly strangled herself while appreciating that music. Her body was now entirely a sacrifice thrown for Parang. The sacred melody scooped out a spoonful of Natsuko¡¯s frontal lobe, giggling as it returned, and her blood vessels burst through her skin, busy embracing and dancing. Even amidst all this, the tentacles did not stop slowly approaching Natsuko. Natsuko¡¯s body and mind had now become one. They were broken down to the smallest unit that makes up the world, then mixed and kneaded together. At that ecstatic sensation, she shuddered and trembled. In front of Natsuko¡¯s eyes, a single tentacle that had come particularly close appeared. Without realizing it, she stretched out her right index finger towards the tentacle. At this moment, she was Adam, and also Eve. She was Cain who killed Abel, and also Abel who was killed by Cain. She was all the humans in this world, and also none of them. Finally, her finger. Touched. The tentacle. ¡°Serva nos a malo¡­¡­¡± Peo-beong, peo-beo-beong!! At that moment, the moment she touched the divine. Fireworks burst from all over her body. The fireworks were in the shape of tentacles. From her calves, shoulders, waist, insteps, wing bones. Tentacles of various colors burst out, then burrowed back into her body. Natsuko enjoyed the grand and splendid festival to her heart¡¯s content. Having finally held a joyous concert by offering her own body, what a glorious assimilation this was. Even God was also enjoying the festival through her body. While feeling immense joy, Natsuko¡¯s heart was in her throat, wondering what would happen if her dirty soul wasn¡¯t enough. And at the last moment, as the festival reached its climax. Parang looked straight at Natsuko and said. ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö.¡± Natsuko didn¡¯t know what she had heard. But she seemed to know how to answer. ¡°Yes, please¡­¡­¡± With those words as her last, Natsuko¡¯s consciousness was cut off. It was death. # Meanwhile, Parang. Although she had initially felt an enormous aversion to killing, she was surprised to find that when the moment actually came, she felt little emotion. Perhaps it was due to the humiliation she had just experienced, causing her emotions to well up. Natsuko¡¯s death was disappointingly simple. Parang summoned the Kraken while facing her. Instantly, Natsuko froze stiff and stopped moving, and when the Kraken touched her body, she slowly assimilated and then disappeared. It was such an inhuman end that even Parang felt uneasy. She worried that Natsuko might have pretended to be caught and escaped, or that she might still be alive somewhere. But such worries were short-lived. Before Parang¡¯s eyes, a notification she had never seen before appeared. [ Absorbed the Awakened ¡®Igarashi Natsuko¡¯. ] [ Acquired 1342 skills possessed by the target. ] [ 1339 skills conflict with existing skills. ] [ Acquired skills: ¡®Perception Distortion¡¯, ¡®Rush¡¯, ¡®Mind¡¯s Eye¡¯. ] ¡®W-What is this¡­ What?¡¯ Absorb skills? Suddenly? Of course, since it was the first time she had absorbed another Awakened with the Kraken, she had thought there might be some changes, but. To absorb the skills of the person she had consumed, this was truly something she had never imagined. This was so surprising that Parang couldn¡¯t even think to check the skills she had gained. For a moment, a terrifying thought crossed her mind. ¡®If I can absorb others¡¯ skills with the Kraken¡­¡¯ Suddenly. She shook her head vigorously. ¡°Yu Parang, are you crazy?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That wasn¡¯t it. That really wasn¡¯t it. Parang didn¡¯t want to do that. She felt revulsion even at the fact that she had momentarily had such a thought, and Parang¡¯s whole body broke out in goosebumps. But still, thirteen hundred skills. Just how many people had she eaten? Even if absorbing skills didn¡¯t mean they were fully integrated, it was an unimaginable number of people. If she were to give in to such base temptations, Parang would probably become a similar being. She really, really didn¡¯t want that. ¡®Let¡¯s think about something else.¡¯ Right, the skills she had just acquired. Although it was unsettling to have obtained them by killing someone, what was gained was gained. If it could help in fighting against that eye, she needed to at least know what these were. ¡®View skill information.¡¯ [ Perception Distortion (A) ] [ Designate one target and distort the perception of those who look at it, making them perceive it as something else. The effect is proportional to the power of the user¡¯s strongest mental attack skill. ] [ The effect of the skill decreases as more people look at the target. ] [ Rush (C) ] [ Momentarily accelerate the body to greatly increase movement speed. The effect increases in environments with many movement restrictions. ] [ If you do not strike another target within 20 seconds of use, you will receive a ¡®Fatigue¡¯ debuff for 1 minute. ] [ Mind¡¯s Eye (S) ] [ Able to see through the true form of targets whose appearance differs from their essence. ] [ While active, becomes very vulnerable to mental damage. ] ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Perception Distortion and Rush seemed a bit ambiguous, but the skill called ¡®Mind¡¯s Eye¡¯ looked somewhat useful. Given how often she encountered unknown entities in her life. Besides, the penalty of becoming vulnerable to mental attacks wasn¡¯t much of an issue for Parang underwater. Deciding to investigate in detail later, Parang closed the status window. Where Natsuko had disappeared, nothing remained now. Just the cold water and the bottom. And¡­ ¡°¡­Branch Manager.¡± Parang slowly descended to the bottom, heading towards Seo Sunwoo¡¯s body. There was a large hole in his chest. Parang felt complex emotions as she looked at it. Just as Parang was trying to confront that eye, Seo Sunwoo had fought against the monster called Natsuko. ¡®Did you die as a human until the very end?¡¯ Can I do the same? The answer was unknown. Parang quietly embraced Seo Sunwoo¡¯s body and headed towards the surface. Chapter 100: Turning Point Chapter 100: Turning PointEP.100 Turning Point Whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ To the faint sound of autumn ocean waves, Parang slowly opened her eyes. Wake-up time was seven in the morning. Lately, Parang had been waking up particularly early. She rose indifferently from the water tank, dried herself off, and tapped the alarm clock that hadn¡¯t rung for four days straight to turn it off. Four days. Four days had passed since Natsuko¡¯s death. It was the death of one of the leaders of the three organizations that divided the world. Parang had naturally expected the world to turn upside down. Her prediction was only half right. The world did turn upside down, but it wasn¡¯t because of Natsuko¡¯s death. On the night of Natsuko¡¯s death, Parang immediately called the higher-ups at Silo. She was half-panicked. While everything had gone according to plan from Seo Sunwoo¡¯s perspective, for Parang and Silo, things had gone awry due to unexpected circumstances. ¡°What happens now? This situation wasn¡¯t part of the plan.¡± But unlike the urgent Parang, Silo¡¯s superior was more composed than expected. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The assassination didn¡¯t fail, and we didn¡¯t draw any unwanted attention. This much deviation was within our expected margin of error.¡± This was true ¨C while not exactly as planned, Natsuko¡¯s elimination could still be classified as an ¡®assassination.¡¯ Though several people died during the operation, they were all Silo¡¯s special operatives ¨C Parang later learned that even the reporter was Silo personnel ¨C and the Ulsan Station interior had been closed for ¡¯emergency inspection¡¯ by the time Parang and Natsuko started their meeting. In other words, their fight wasn¡¯t exposed to outsiders. The battle itself took place underwater, and except for Parang, everyone else had warped away. Moreover, Parang¡¯s handling of the situation had been quite clean. She escaped through the staff back door of the warp station that she had memorized beforehand, ran through dark alleyways to the ocean, and managed to avoid being seen by civilians. Considering she had distinctive blue hair and was bleeding from her ears and various parts of her body, this was a remarkable achievement. In conclusion, that day¡¯s incident wasn¡¯t witnessed by anyone except those involved. Though things had taken some twists and turns, they had ultimately succeeded in their original goal of ¡®eliminating Natsuko without witnesses.¡¯ After hearing this explanation, Parang too was able to maintain some composure. Of course, that was separate from the act of killing she had committed, and she had to take the next day off completely to rest. While she had been able to kill Natsuko without much mental anguish due to the excitement numbing her thoughts up until confronting her at sea ¨C this was somewhat intended by Seo Sunwoo ¨C there was no way to handle the emotions that followed. Right up until the mission, Parang had been trembling with aversion and tension about committing murder. Those feelings couldn¡¯t be brushed off as easily as dust. Silo, aware of Parang¡¯s state, didn¡¯t put any particular pressure on her. ¡°Hunter Yu Parang doesn¡¯t seem to have any urgent matters to worry about right now. You can take a few days to rest and regroup.¡± ¡°Really? But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, please rest well. If something goes wrong because you pushed yourself too hard, that would be a real disaster.¡± Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t as if there was no justification for Parang to rest. Media play and aftermath cleanup naturally weren¡¯t matters for Parang to be involved in. If there were other urgent matters to consider, there was the rising Monster layer event that Alice had tipped them off about, but even this was already under joint investigation by Oceanos and Silo since the day after Parang confirmed her memories. Silo seemed to take Parang¡¯s words much more seriously than she had expected, quickly moving into discussions about response measures in case of an incident. ¡°In the long term, we¡¯re also discussing plans to fortify all coastlines adjacent to major cities.¡± While Parang joining would certainly be helpful, the situation wasn¡¯t urgent enough to warrant straining herself to lend a hand. Thanks to these various reasons, Parang was able to get some proper rest for the first time in a while. And Silo¡¯s subsequent response was, even in Parang¡¯s view, truly impeccable. Natsuko and Seo Sunwoo were officially declared ¡®missing.¡¯ This was because finding their bodies was impossible. Given Natsuko¡¯s position, this was bound to draw public attention, and the whole world quickly became abuzz with this incident. Three days after the death, two days after the missing persons announcement, the world¡¯s attention was focused on Natsuko¡¯s whereabouts, and the Hunters¡¯ Association dropped their prepared bombshell. It was an expos¨¦ by Seo Sunwoo¡¯s personal secretary. They revealed evidence of all the inhumane acts designed or perpetrated by Association President Natsuko, along with Seo Sunwoo¡¯s suicide note. The note found in his personal drawer could be summarized as: ¡°I can no longer stand by and watch Natsuko¡¯s insane behavior, so I will take action and perish alongside her.¡± Of course, the note contained no mention of Parang, let alone Silo, no matter how carefully one looked. Naturally, this revelation focused all attention on Seo Sunwoo and Natsuko, and despite Parang having been with Natsuko right until her disappearance, her name wasn¡¯t mentioned once. According to the note¡¯s contents, all of Seo Sunwoo¡¯s positions, titles, and authorities were transferred to his secretary, Kang Ji-woo. While this might seem illogical, the process was suspiciously quick and smooth. The Hunters¡¯ Association was obviously in crisis mode. All high-ranking officials mentioned in Seo Sunwoo¡¯s records were arrested without exception, except for Vice President Alisa Kozlov. Though the Vice President was also on Seo Sunwoo¡¯s list of accusations, she had already fled in the night. The vacancies were quickly filled with other figures by Acting Association President Kang Ji-woo. It goes without saying that they were all Silo¡¯s people. If there was one unexpected development, it was that World Government President Yoo Sungjun, who had never appeared in public, showed his face before cameras. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From the information Parang had gathered, he had watched the ascension ceremony and final battle through the camera attached to Han Si-woo, and in the process, witnessed the problematic eye monster. That¡¯s why Parang was quite surprised when Yoo Sungjun appeared on camera. If her assumptions were correct, he should have been unable to utter a single coherent word. But completely shattering her expectations, Yoo Sungjun calmly finished his speech before the cameras. Wondering if some trick was involved, Parang tried using her recently acquired skill. [ Mind¡¯s Eye (S) ] [ Able to see through the true form of targets whose appearance differs from their essence. ] [ While active, becomes very vulnerable to mental damage. ] Unfortunately, there were no particular results. [ Can only be used on targets being directly observed. ] [ Skills cannot be used outside of water. ] Tch, damn. The content of the speech itself was simple. He condemned the inhumane acts of the Association President and explained his recent absence. ¡°My recent inability to appear in public was due to a sudden illness. I have now been cured through the consumption of an Elixir.¡± Elixir. The ultimate panacea and highest-grade ingredient commonly appearing in hunter stories. People believed this story. In fact, when Yoo Sungjun continued to be absent from public appearances, conspiracy theories about his serious illness began circulating, and as if to confirm this, an elite hunter team dispatched by the government entered a dungeon and retrieved an Elixir. Before the news of the Association President¡¯s disappearance broke, Yoo Sungjun¡¯s illness was the hottest topic. Of course, the reason for Yoo Sungjun¡¯s absence had nothing to do with illness. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain. The illness is just an excuse. As Hunter Yu Parang suspected, he did indeed see that monster.¡± This was the definitive answer from Silo. ¡°Then how can he be so normal? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°All the information and evidence we¡¯ve gathered points to this. The government must have pulled some kind of trick.¡± Ever since Parang had extracted a high-ranking personnel from the World Government¡¯s secret bunker, Silo hadn¡¯t stopped monitoring the World Government¡¯s movements. Numerous spies were dispatched to the World Government, only to lose their lives or go completely insane. ¡°Let¡¯s meet in a few days. We¡¯ll share the information we¡¯ve gathered with you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± This was roughly how Parang¡¯s vacation proceeded. And finally, on the fourth day. Fortunately, Parang¡¯s mental state had recovered significantly. Drawing the artwork she had been too busy to work on helped stabilize her mind and spirit. She also heard some extremely good news in the meantime. ¡°After the Slayers¡¯ ¡®Ascension,¡¯ the ¡®diving fever¡¯ that had swept across the world has noticeably subsided. Though the extent varies, the proportion of hunters diving into the sea has clearly decreased worldwide. In particular, on the Korean Peninsula, diving hunters have decreased by more than 95% compared to June.¡± It was a reward for all their efforts. Staring blankly at her phone, Parang shed a few tears at this news. Receiving confirmation that the path she had walked was meaningful was moving and touching no matter how many times she experienced it. This news played a big part in rapidly alleviating the anxiety symptoms that had been troubling Parang. With recovery complete, it was time to look ahead. ¡®Tomorrow at noon, huh.¡¯ Tomorrow at noon, she needed to head to the East Sea to meet Alice. Parang felt a slight anticipation about what shocking stories she might hear there. After all, she had experienced so many extraordinary things. Well, that¡¯s that. Tomorrow¡¯s matters were for tomorrow. Parang had something special to do today. Her gaze turned to her phone, which had the messaging app open. ©¤Shin Yuna: Parang ©¤Shin Yuna: Are you really going to be okay? ©¤Yu Parang: Whatever. I¡¯m just taking a break before coming back ©¤Shin Yuna: (photo) ©¤Shin Yuna: No¡­ I mean, even considering everything, this seems a bit extreme¡­ ©¤Yu Parang: Ugh¡­ it is pretty bad ©¤Yu Parang: But we can¡¯t just sit around doing nothing forever ©¤Shin Yuna: That¡¯s true too. Okay. ©¤Shin Yuna: So I should head to the East Sea by five o¡¯clock, right? ©¤Yu Parang: Yeah. By the way, how did you end up making something like that¡­ ©¤Shin Yuna: Ah, well¡­ Once I started making it, things just kind of snowballed ©¤Shin Yuna: (embarrassed smile emoticon) ©¤Yu Parang: See you later Parang carelessly turned off her phone. In the photo Shin Yuna had sent, there was a hellscape drawn by those who had been abandoned. Those who had gone mad unable to bear the pain. Those waiting for Parang¡¯s salvation. *[ Turn on Yu Parang¡¯s stream Yu Parang turn on stream Yu Parang turn on stream ] [31]* *[ Host I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ll do better please come back ] [13]* *[ Open your eyes. Close your eyes. Don¡¯t open your eyes raise your left arm pull down pants. ] [42]* *[ Saw Yu Parang at a cafe today ] [21]* *[ BREAKING BREAKING SUPER BREAKING)) Did Yu Parang stream today???? ] [26]* *[ Just feeling depressed all day ] [56]* *[ 3145th Yu Parang All-Time Live Stream Screening ] [45]* *[ I heard your gallery¡¯s dead? We¡¯re taking over from now on ] [66]* It was time to return as Streamer Yu Parang. Chapter 101: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (1) Chapter 101: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (1)EP.101 I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (1) Republic of Korea, Incheon Metropolitan City. Yang Young-min, an A-rank hunter residing in Songdo-dong. ¡°Ughh¡­ *sigh*¡­¡± He barely managed to lift his upper body from the bed, staring ahead with hollow eyes. Current time, 1 PM. He had wasted more than half the day sleeping in. This wasn¡¯t how he used to be, but lately, every day was like this. Spending most of the day lost in sleep, and even after waking up, feeling empty and listless. He naturally picked up his phone, logged into the community app, and smoothly navigated to Yu Parang¡¯s gallery. It was a familiar motion he must have repeated thousands of times. A movement his body remembered, regardless of his conscious will. Sometimes he would turn on his phone intending to do something else, only to find himself already browsing Yu Parang¡¯s gallery when he came to his senses. Young-min used to be a bright and energetic person. Originally, his day would start at 8 AM, vigorously kicking off his blanket. Walking confidently around the house preparing to go out, occasionally breaking into dance when he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement ¨C that kind of morning. Young-min was that kind of person, with such vibrant mornings. But today, waking up at 1 PM, instead of getting out of bed, he lay back down at an angle and fiddled with his phone. As he scrolled through the gallery looking for new posts, his expression revealed an undisguisable ¨C or rather, an intentionally undisguised ¨C listlessness and depression. After scrolling through about 10 pages, all the post titles below a certain post were tinted green. This meant they were already read. Though he couldn¡¯t particularly remember what they were about, the fact that he had read them was what mattered. Young-min started clicking through and reading the unread posts with black titles one by one. Meanwhile, his day was being carelessly, meaninglessly frittered away. Though he was aware of this fact himself and knew he shouldn¡¯t be doing this, strangely, Young-min found no will to escape from this situation. As he stared at the loading screen that appeared from time to time, Young-min felt an unbearable sense of frustration and depression constricting him. ¡®Should I really be doing this right now?¡¯ He already knew the answer. But instead of writing down the answer he knew, Young-min hurriedly diverted his eyes to a few meaningless characters written on the internet. The more he did this, Young-min felt like he was sinking into some deep place he couldn¡¯t escape from. It felt like sinking into dark, deep waters. This was the state of some viewers that Parang didn¡¯t know about. # East Sea, underwater. ©¤What, you were alive? ©¤Shangliaaaaan Shangliaaaaan Shangliaaaaan Shangliaaaaan ©¤You¡¯re back, damn ©¤Lock ©¤I really thought you died, damn it Parang, what were you doing? ©¤Ex ©¤You won¡¯t leave anymore, right? Right? ©¤Me ©¤I was so cold, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong ¡°Um, wait, everyone¡­?¡± Parang turned on her stream and looked at the chat with bewilderment. The chat was burning much more intensely and ferociously than she had anticipated. Though she had expected strong reactions after seeing the community screenshots Yuna sent, this was far too extreme. The chat was literally exploding upward. The messages were coming in so fast that even Parang¡¯s dynamic vision could barely keep up. ¡®What, what¡¯s going on? This doesn¡¯t seem normal.¡¯ S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang raised a mental question mark. Though she¡¯d been through a lot, she actually hadn¡¯t been away from streaming for even a week. While it wasn¡¯t exactly a diligent broadcasting schedule, it wasn¡¯t enough of a break to warrant this kind of reaction. In fact, Shin Yuna had previously abandoned her stream for about two weeks while claiming she was building a submarine, then casually returned, and even now she frequently takes unannounced breaks for two or three days. Considering the reactions when she returned, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Parang¡¯s viewers were showing an unusually intense response. ¡®Is it because I didn¡¯t give notice?¡¯ Though this was only half-right reasoning, it was fortunate that she at least realized the importance of notifications this way. ¡°Um, everyone? I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t shown my face until now. I was really busy. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± ©¤We¡¯re mad ©¤What, were you late getting an elixir? ©¤Like if she should apologize with a 24-hour stream ©¤Like ©¤Like ©¤Wake up ©¤Like ©¤Did you go make a mini Yu Parang? Parang was in quite a predicament. It¡¯s not like she could explain, ¡®I was late because I was assassinating the former association chairman after seeing the Slayers¡¯ memories.¡¯ After some consideration, though she really didn¡¯t want to, Parang decided to make a sort of advance payment. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be honest with you. I had some business in the ocean.¡± She raised both hands in surrender and spoke to her viewers in a resigned tone. ©¤What kind of business in the ocean ¡°There was a dangerous entity that I absolutely couldn¡¯t ignore, so I eliminated it. After that, I was completely drained and needed to rest. Really. I¡¯m truly sorry for taking a break without saying anything.¡± Well¡­ she hadn¡¯t lied. Though that didn¡¯t make Parang feel entirely comfortable. And when Parang went this far, the viewers had nothing more to say. After all, you can¡¯t criticize someone for taking a break when they say they were busy contributing to world peace. Even the viewers who still felt unsatisfied finally softened when Parang promised to always announce future broadcast dates. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± She bowed slightly with a somewhat gloomy expression. ©¤Your sins are forgiven After going this far, the viewers all seemed to be in a forgiving mood. ©¤So what kind of stream is it today? ¡°Ah, today¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Wheeeeeeee-!! Kwack!! ©¤Holy crap that scared me ©¤Blrghblergh ©¤What is it? Where did that come from? Parang looked with a startled expression at the sailfish struggling in her grasp. ¡°That scared me¡­¡± It was quite a sight to see the great Yu Parang showing a startled expression and clutching her chest. ¡°It¡¯s a sailfish monster. It suddenly charged at me so I caught it in surprise. It¡¯s a really rare species, what a coincidence.¡± Indeed, the sailfish in Parang¡¯s hand was no ordinary specimen. Its protruding snout was covered in sharp protrusions like a chainsaw. It was actually rotating like a chainsaw too. The size was the same as a normal sailfish. ¡°Depending on the specimen, this pointed part can have different shapes. Some are chainsaw-shaped like this one, while others look like swords, drills, or needles. Their top speed reaches 450km per hour.¡± ¨C 450??? ¨C Wow ¨C Wait, is it even possible to catch that with bare hands?? ¨C ¡°Yu Parang¡± ¨C Ah I get it ¨C Caught it, right? ¨C Damn that scared me ¡°I just got lucky and caught it.¡± Half the chat believed her, half didn¡¯t. Parang just watched the chat with a meaningful smile. Parang jabbed her finger into what appeared to be the sailfish¡¯s heart. Pogrrrrrr¡­. The instantly deceased sailfish sank deep below. Parang regained her composure at a speed rivaling the sailfish and continued her broadcast. ¡°Whew, anyway, about today¡¯s stream.¡± Unlike Parang¡¯s previous broadcasts, today wasn¡¯t about exploring a hive. After all, she had completed exploring 14 of the 15 hives located around the world, excluding the Mariana Hive. And given Parang¡¯s remaining schedule, she had no reason to explore hives except for the Mariana Hive. Aside from farming materials for equipment crafting, that is. ¡®Equipment crafting¡­¡¯ This was another factor giving Parang a headache. Well, anyway. Back to the main point. ¡°Today¡¯s stream theme is ¡®testing.''¡± ©¤Testing?? ©¤Why suddenly an exam? ©¤Is this a stream to test the streamer in various ways? ©¤Oh ©¤Nice Nonsensical comments flooded in as if Parang¡¯s mysterious announcement was perfectly normal. Parang gave the chat window one cold glare before continuing. ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear. Today is really a testing stream. I¡¯m going to ban whoever just wrote that weird fanfic about my physical examination in the chat.¡± Ignoring the chat that was still spouting nonsense, Parang waved her arms in a banzai pose. She was signaling to Yuna through the broadcast screen. ©¤See, it is a physical exam ¡°Get out.¡± With lightning-fast movements, Parang swiftly dealt with the viewer who dared utter such blasphemy. After a while, something could be seen approaching at an incredible speed from far where Parang was looking. ©¤What¡¯s that? Doesn¡¯t look like a monster As they say, even a dog at a Seodang learns poetry after three years ¨C the viewers quickly sensed something was off. What was approaching from the distance wasn¡¯t a monster, but a submarine. Yes, a submarine. A steampunk-style submarine with a rough egg-shaped body that couldn¡¯t even charitably be called streamlined, covered in strange attachments crammed together. It was Shin Yuna. ¡°Yu Parang, come heeeere!!!!¡± With this bizarre, inexplicable line, she was charging straight at Parang. Chapter 102: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (2) Chapter 102: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (2)EP.102 I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (2) ©¤Why did they show up there? ©¤When did they even make that lololol ©¤Wow that¡¯s seriously huge At last, Yuna¡¯s submarine came to a stop right in front of Parang. The submarine had been racing at a speed rivaling that of a Monster Fish until just moments ago, but as if nothing had happened, it instantly decelerated to perform a near-perfect emergency stop. A movement that completely ignored the laws of inertia. Parang was about to question it but then realized that she too had been ignoring the laws of physics on a daily basis, so she kept her mouth shut. ¡°How is it? Pretty sick, right?¡± A flippant voice that didn¡¯t even try to hide its excitement flowed from the submarine¡¯s attached speakers. It was Shin Yuna, as unrestrained as ever. Parang took it in stride. She knew well the hardships Yuna had endured. After having her submarines consecutively destroyed by the Hunter Association, this was Shin Yuna¡¯s masterpiece, created with blood, sweat, and tears. While her previous submarines were big, flashy, and grotesque, this one before them was fucking huge, fucking flashy, and fucking grotesque. ©¤That thing looks fucking weird Parang gave a small nod. She did so to avoid hurting Yuna¡¯s feelings by showing too much enthusiasm. After all, this was the first unveiling of her creation. Feeling somewhat awkward, Parang knocked on the submarine for no particular reason. While submarines should be hollow inside, from what Parang could tell by knocking, this one wasn¡¯t. It made sense in a way. This was an unmanned submarine, after all. Yuna¡¯s body was safely tucked away at home. ©¤What? An unmanned submarine?? ©¤Of course it¡¯s unmanned, you think she¡¯d get in another sub after all that chaos? ©¤Seriously she¡¯d have to be completely insane ©¤Well she is completely insane so ©¤Ah. ©¤Why is it so huge if it¡¯s unmanned?? Various reactions erupted from the viewers. Formal introductions were exchanged between Parang and Yuna, but they weren¡¯t particularly interested. After all, you couldn¡¯t be Parang¡¯s viewer if you didn¡¯t know who Yuna was. In other words, without any explanation needed, everyone understood: ¡®Ah, that crazy woman couldn¡¯t control herself and crawled back into the ocean again.¡¯ What really surprised them was that Yu Parang had actually given Shin Yuna permission to dive. Feeling the need to clearly explain this point, Parang spoke firmly. ¡°Ms. Yuna has a special skill that blocks mental attacks, so I only allowed her remote exploration. Don¡¯t try diving without at least this level of preparation. It¡¯s really dangerous.¡± Now, not a single person responded with comments like ¡®Who are you to tell others whether they can dive or not?¡¯ Parang felt another strange sense of satisfaction. Meanwhile, Yuna was excitedly filling the audio. ¡°See the machine gun attached on the right? To make this work underwater, I had to¡­¡± ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Better not meet her outside the water. Parang was quite good at having these impudent thoughts. Anyway. By this point, viewers could easily guess what ¡®test¡¯ Parang had mentioned earlier. That¡¯s right. Today¡¯s broadcast would test Yuna¡¯s new submarine. ¡°Today we¡¯re going to test if this submarine can really survive against deep-sea monster fishes.¡± And there was one more thing to test secretly from the viewers. ¡°Now, the first thing we¡¯ll test is¡­¡± Parang grinned. ¡°Firepower, of course. Right?¡± Parang spread her limbs wide to make her body into a ´ó shape and completely surrendered herself to the water. Dozens of visibly menacing gun barrels and cannon muzzles were aimed at Parang. ©¤No way, is it what I think it is ©¤It doesn¡¯t make any sense but with her it probably is ©¤Can¡¯t believe there are still people surprised by the host;; Regardless, Parang just closed her eyes with a peaceful expression. And as she always had, she spoke shocking words in a casual tone as if saying ¡®The weather is really nice today.¡¯ ¡°Get ready¡­ and fire!¡± BOOM!! With an earth-shattering roar, dozens of artillery shells simultaneously spewed fire toward Parang. ¡°Aaack!!¡± The viewers were startled by the sudden barrage. This wasn¡¯t about whether they expected it or not. Anyone would jump at even small noises when gun barrels are pointed at them. Parang¡¯s broadcast screen had gone dark with static. All the cameras had been destroyed by the barrage. It made sense in a way. How could it navigate these treacherous waters if it couldn¡¯t even destroy a camera? Soon the broadcast screen reconnected. However, this time it wasn¡¯t from the camera embedded in Parang¡¯s suit, but from the camera attached to Shin Yuna¡¯s submarine. In the front view, Parang could be seen swimming leisurely underwater with a composed expression. Without a single scratch on her body. Well, this was something the viewers had expected. ©¤What the fuck, why are her clothes perfectly fine!!! Regardless of the chat window being on fire, Parang was seriously evaluating the firepower of Yuna¡¯s submarine. ¡°This level of power would be enough to defeat lower-tier monster fishes without carapaces. The noise level is a slight flaw, but¡­ how about modifying this weaker weapon to launch harpoons?¡± ©¤Is there really someone evaluating weapons after taking anti-kaiju depth charges head-on?! ©¤Well damn, she is strong though;; ©¤But wasn¡¯t that camera made by Silo?? Is it okay to just destroy it?? ©¤Why are her clothes still intact?! Originally, Parang¡¯s invited guest ¨C in this case, Shin Yuna ¨C should have been the only one able to control the chat and keep the broadcast on track, but¡­ ¡°No. Adding harpoon launchers would reduce maneuverability, and more importantly, the steampunk aesthetic¡­ Ah! Right. Let¡¯s test the maneuverability too! I put quite a bit of effort into the speed.¡± This girl was no ordinary girl either. She really just ¡®did¡¯ the broadcast. Or rather than hosting, she was just wildly running around while somehow managing to move forward. An engineering nerd with tunnel vision narrower than a racehorse! And so, completely ignoring the viewers, each element was evaluated one by one ¨C maneuverability, durability, aesthetics, and more. ¡°Aesthetics¡­ hmm¡­ t¡­¡± ¡°T?!¡± ¡°T¡­en out of ten.¡± ¡°Ah, I thought you were going to say something else.¡± Anyway, with the aesthetics category ¨C which everyone except Shin Yuna had fiercely objected to ¨C finally complete, the submarine evaluation came to an end. The chat¡¯s reaction was lukewarm. It was nice to see the host¡¯s face after so long, the submarine was interesting, and while not spectacular, the broadcast had its own subtle charm. Not every broadcast can be a dopamine splash, which was understandable. But understanding something and feeling it are two different things, so it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to feel somewhat unsatisfied. All viewers were thinking things like ¡®Ah, today¡¯s broadcast is ending¡­¡¯ ¡®It was fun but too short¡­¡¯ ©¤Today feels kind of bland¡­ ©¤I¡¯m just happy to see the host ©¤True that¡­ ©¤Why are her clothes still perfect Therefore, Shin Yuna¡¯s sudden declaration was the best possible news for them. It couldn¡¯t have been better news. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s wrap this up¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t we going to fight a real Monster Fish?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Parang was slightly surprised by Shin Yuna¡¯s unexpected words. They weren¡¯t in the script. A script, you ask? Of course there was one. This submarine wasn¡¯t just any ordinary thing. How could they risk putting it on a live broadcast without proper preparation? sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had tested everything beforehand, calculated estimates, and done rehearsals before coming here. That¡¯s why Yuna had fired at Parang without the slightest hesitation. Originally, their WWE should have ended here. The problem was that one side suddenly challenged them to UFC. Parang briefly checked the chat¡¯s reaction. As expected, they were hungry for Monster Fish hunting. Perhaps because they were used to watching Parang overwhelmingly dominate everything, there seemed to be a clear desire for an even match. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Well, would it be okay? The submarine Yuna brought did have pretty decent performance. She could get used to the controls, and if needed, Parang could help¡­ ¡°Okay. Should be fine.¡± ¡°Yes!!¡± And so the two headed merrily towards the East Sea Hive to fight real monster fishes. The viewers were happy, Yuna was happy, and well, Parang wasn¡¯t exactly sad so she was happy too. It was the completion of a world where everyone was happy. Except for one person. ©¤God!! Damn!! Why are her clothes still perfectly fine!!! A silent scream echoed through the chat window. # And so, to the East Sea Hive!! The crazy girl driving a war machine and the crazy girl who was herself a war machine gazed at the 38.5km underwater train stretching across the deep sea. ¡°It really is incredibly huge seeing it in person¡­¡± Parang kindly corrected Yuna¡¯s dazed comment. ¡°You¡¯re not actually seeing it in person.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yuna made a stupid sound as if she¡¯d been hit on the head. Given her personality, she probably wasn¡¯t discouraged. At most, she was probably thinking something like ¡®Maybe I should switch to VR cameras next time¡­¡¯ ¡°No, then we¡¯d have to give up the steampunk aesthetic.¡± Seeing her mutter quietly, it seemed that guess was correct. Since this location had already been shown on broadcast before, and today¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t to explore the Hive, Yuna decided not to go inside. Then why did they come all the way here? Well, there were several reasons. First, because the atmosphere was perfect. Wouldn¡¯t it be amazing to fight with that massive train as a backdrop? Second, to quickly find suitable monster fishes. Third, because Parang had business nearby. ¡®It¡¯s been too long since I cleaned.¡¯ She needed to periodically sweep out the monster fishes inside the Hive, but she¡¯d been too busy to come since the last exploration broadcast. So, Parang whooshed into the Hive. In an instant, she snatched a suitable Monster Fish egg and appeared before Yuna. Both Yuna and the viewers watched the egg with bated breath. A purple, semi-transparent cylindrical sac. It looked about the size of a 1.5L bottle, with white fibers stuck here and there on its surface. It was an egg that neither Yuna nor even the viewers had ever seen before. Parang asked with a grave expression. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± And so, Parang gripped the egg and burst it with all her might. A moment later. ©¤Holy shit ©¤Can¡¯t believe that thing is still around ©¤It looks fucking disgusting From between the dark train windows, a house-sized sea spider crawled out. Chapter 103: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (3) Chapter 103: I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (3)EP.103 I Want to Be an Ex-Diver (3) Sea Spider. This creature, second to none in its grotesque and creepy appearance, looks exactly like its name suggests ¨C like a spider. Picture what we typically imagine when we think of a ¡®spider¡¯. A small, stubby body with eight legs attached to it, each much longer than the body itself. Now, modify that image by changing the body to a short rod shape and extending the legs to about three times their length ¨C that¡¯s what a sea spider looks like. Imagine it crawling along the ocean floor, through rocky crevices, or among coral, just like a land spider would. Moving each of its eight long legs independently, creeping along. Unlike land spiders, sea spiders don¡¯t have swollen, bulbous abdomens, so from a distance, they can be mistaken for discarded fishing nets or torn coral. It¡¯s hard to tell whether their swaying movement is from the water current or their own volition. And when you get close? Ta-da! A sea spider with a 6cm body length and 40cm legs. Ugh. Though its name often, well frequently, causes misunderstandings, a sea spider isn¡¯t actually a spider. Real aquatic spiders are called water spiders, and they¡¯re completely different from their vaguely related cousins, spider crabs. So basically, it¡¯s just another fucking weird-looking deep-sea creature. However, its feeding method is similar to spiders. It stabs its mouth, located at the end of its rod-shaped body, into soft marine creatures and sucks out their bodily fluids. Well, that¡¯s the explanation of the deep-sea creature, the sea spider. ¡°Now I¡¯ll explain about the monster fish, Tokeless.¡± Parang continued her explanation leisurely. Though the situation was anything but leisurely. Whoosh-!! Tokeless¡¯s elongated leg barely grazed past Parang¡¯s head. If her position had been off by even a hand¡¯s width, it would have been a direct hit. The unsettling tentacles extending from the legs writhed horrifically as they tried to grab Parang, but she easily avoided them. Between the tentacles, gleaming black spheres caught the eye. They were all eyes. An agonized scream erupted from beside Parang. ¡°Aagh!! Holy!! Shit!! This is so gross!!!¡± It was Yuna¡¯s scream. Currently, Parang was following alongside Yuna¡¯s submarine as she battled Tokeless, giving a lecture about monster fishes. Since her camera and microphone were broken, she had to use the ones attached to Yuna¡¯s submarine. A professor who¡¯s not only pretty and nice but also follows you around? And doesn¡¯t even give homework! Most college students would be over the moon. In that sense, you could say Yuna was blessed beyond measure. ¡°I made eye contact!! Eye contact!!! Aaaaaahhh!!!¡± Though she didn¡¯t seem to realize how fortunate she was. Anyway, that was roughly the current situation. To be honest, when Parang brought out something spider-like, Yuna had secretly rejoiced. A spider? This is like the easiest prey ever. Sure, it¡¯s enormously big, but with such a flimsy body structure, it can probably only cling to the train¡¯s exterior. All Yuna would need to do is bombard it with everything she¡¯s got from outside its range. It couldn¡¯t be simpler. Yuna felt secretly grateful to Parang. While she had boldly declared her challenge, she had been quietly worried about what she¡¯d do if a truly strong and fast monster fish appeared. It would be catastrophic if this precious submarine got wrecked. Surely the merciful Parang had matched her with an easy opponent, understanding her concerns. ¡­or so Yuna had thought at one point. That naive notion was shattered by a single sentence from Parang. ¡°Unlike sea spiders, Tokeless is excellent at swimming. Sometimes it creates the illusion that it¡¯s actually crawling through the water.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± No sooner had those words ended than Tokeless, having withdrawn its last leg from the window, detached itself from the train¡¯s exterior with a pop. ¡°Uh, uhhh¡­!!!¡± And then, flailing its massive legs frantically, it came crawling madly toward Yuna¡¯s position as if there was solid ground underwater. The situation where something you believed could never harm you suddenly charges at you. To make matters worse, Yuna¡¯s high-performance camera was diligently transmitting Tokeless¡¯s creepy appearance to her in high definition. At the end of its rod-shaped body was a cylindrical mouth that looked like something out of a sandworm movie. On the sides of its body were legs that frantically bent and stretched their three joints in and out as they pursued their target. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tentacles that grew thickly on the already creepy legs, each writhing in their own way. It was driving Yuna crazy. Panicked, Yuna made a mistake with the controls and hit the forward button instead of reverse. Vrooooom-!! And that¡¯s how she ended up in the current situation, engaged in close combat with Tokeless. Yuna was understandably miserable. Just dodging the legs coming at her from all directions ¨C front, back, left, right, up, and down ¨C was overwhelming enough that she couldn¡¯t even attempt to attack. Parang, finding something amusing about all this, followed alongside Yuna¡¯s submarine with a satisfied smile, matching her course exactly. It was really annoying how she calmly continued her monster fish lecture as if telling Yuna not to even think about getting help. ¡°Real sea spiders don¡¯t have separate respiratory organs like gills or lungs. This is something they have in common with insects. That doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t breathe though. They just use a different method.¡± Parang now took an even more relaxed posture, clasping her hands behind her back as she reclined. Yet her movement pattern didn¡¯t waver at all. She maintained a constant distance beside Yuna¡¯s submarine. She even showed off by casually deflecting attacks that Yuna had barely managed to dodge. ¡°Sea spiders use their legs to breathe. The surface of their legs is structured to filter oxygen from the water. When they stir the water with their legs to move, they get the effect of breathing at the same time.¡± Parang waved her arms and legs around, imitating a sea spider. It looked nothing like one. ¡°When mutated into the monster fish Tokeless, the legs gain a different function. They absorb prey. Those tentacles on the legs all secrete a sticky fluid. When small monster fishes stick to them, they dissolve and absorb them, and sometimes they¡¯re used to stick to larger monster fishes too.¡± ¡®Damn¡­ where should I go¡­!¡¯ Yuna was too busy dodging Tokeless¡¯s legs to pay attention to Parang¡¯s explanation. Though she managed to dodge the legs by moving this way and that, it wasn¡¯t easy given how erratic the movements were. If she could somehow break through the encirclement of legs there might be a chance, but the defense was too thorough. Yuna¡¯s worries deepened. Meanwhile, Parang was completely absorbed in her monster fish lecture. She seemed excited to have an opportunity to teach after so long. ¡°The original respiratory function of the legs has atrophied. Instead, the body has grown large enough to serve as a respiratory organ. This compensates for the weakness of easily breakable legs. Even if they break, it¡¯s not much of a problem. And new mouths form on each foot, giving it nine mouths in total¡­¡± ¡®Easily breakable¡­!!¡¯ Just one sentence from Parang¡¯s previously ignored explanation suddenly struck Yuna¡¯s mind. ¡®If this war of attrition continues, I¡¯m in trouble¡­!¡¯ Yuna¡¯s submarine had been performing almost acrobatic movements up until now. At this rate, she might rapidly run out of fuel, or worse, the engine could catastrophically overheat. ¡®It¡¯s now or never!!¡¯ Having made her quick decision, Yuna stopped dodging the legs and charged straight ahead. Her plan was to crash the submarine into the legs and break them completely. If she failed, it would be game over. ¡°AAAAHHHHH!!!!!! DIE!!!!!!!¡± Covering her fear with a mighty battle cry, Yuna¡¯s submarine finally rammed into Tokeless¡¯s legs. CRACK!!! To cut to the conclusion, it was a success. Yuna¡¯s submarine magnificently broke Tokeless¡¯s legs and succeeded in escaping. After quickly putting distance between them, she fired all her equipped weapons and blew Tokeless to pieces. Victory. It was victory. The chat window was silent for a moment, then¡­ ©¤Yuna!! Yuna!! Yuna!! Yuna!! ©¤Mom, I want to be Shin Yuna!! Mom, I want to be Shin Yuna!! ©¤GREAT YU NA ©¤GOD YUNA They soon began passionately praising her. Parang also knocked on the submarine while giving Yuna praise. ¡°Well done. Though I didn¡¯t expect you to fall right into the trap I set to throw you off.¡± ¡°What trap?¡± ¡°I deliberately chose Tokeless. People tend to panic when a spider that was stuck to a wall suddenly starts crawling through empty space.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°But in the deep sea, this is everyday life. You always have to assume the worst case scenario and keep all available options in mind. That¡¯s what I wanted to teach you.¡± In response to Parang¡¯s sincere advice, Yuna warmly replied. ¡°Th¡­ th¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to say thank you¡­¡± ¡°WOULD IT KILL YOU TO TEACH MORE GENTLY, YOU FISH WOMAN!!!!¡± BOOM!! A warm shell to your heart, kaboom. In any case, the broadcast ended in a friendly atmosphere. ©¤Good night ©¤??? ©¤You¡¯ll come back next time, right? We¡¯re not breaking up, right? ©¤I¡¯ve asked 314,091 times why her clothes are still intact [ This broadcast has ended ] ¡°Good work. Head on in.¡± ¡°Yeah. You worked hard today too. But aren¡¯t you going home?¡± ¡°Ah, I have some business at the Hive.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Is it something I can¡¯t help with?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t help even if you wanted to. I appreciate the thought though.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± And with that, Shin Yuna made her exit. Parang remained alone. All alone- She took out her Kraken, roughly cleared out the monster fishes inside the train, and went outside. And then. Stretch- Parang extended her hand out into empty space. Something came rushing in from far away with tremendous force¡­ GRAB!! And was caught right in Parang¡¯s hand. It was the sailfish monster fish that Parang had caught before the broadcast. Parang casually carried it and returned home. Then, unusually, she sat down at her desk without changing clothes, just drying off. She turned on her computer and started reviewing today¡¯s recorded footage. In the video, Parang was holding the sailfish monster fish that was now flopping around on her floor with a startled expression. ¡°Perception distortion release.¡± Swoosh- The sailfish monster fish that had been flopping on Parang¡¯s floor had transformed into her harpoon. While in the video, Parang was still holding what appeared to be a sailfish monster fish. ¡®Good. As expected.¡¯ The sailfish monster fish that Parang had caught today wasn¡¯t a monster fish at all. It was her harpoon with perception distortion applied to make it look like a sailfish. And the harpoon wasn¡¯t the only thing under perception distortion during today¡¯s broadcast. ¡°Perception distortion release.¡± Swoosh- This time, Parang¡¯s body changed form. Parang looked down at her clothes, which were completely torn and ripped apart. Yuna¡¯s firepower had certainly been strong. When she took the first bombardment, Parang¡¯s clothes were already mostly torn away. After taking that twice, there was no way any clothes would remain. ¡®The effect was more definitive than I expected.¡¯ She had broadcast today in a half-naked state, with perception distortion applied to her body. Making people perceive her as ¡®fully-clothed Yu Parang.¡¯ Until the end of the broadcast, comments kept asking why her clothes were intact. Parang used those to monitor her condition in real-time. The viewers would probably never know what really happened today, even on their deathbeds. Why did she go to such lengths? Of course, Parang isn¡¯t an exhibitionist. But nevertheless, Parang needed to test perception distortion on her own body. After all, her ultimate goal was to apply perception distortion to the Kraken. Chapter 104 Chapter 104EP.104 Interlude Why suddenly put perception distortion on the Kraken? Obviously, the goal wasn¡¯t to decorate the Kraken with pretty colors or anything like that. Parang¡¯s purpose was to nullify its mental attacks by casting perception distortion on the Kraken. The reason was, naturally, to be able to show the Kraken to the world. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Showing the Kraken to the world. While this might seem like an incredibly radical move from Parang¡¯s perspective, that¡¯s not actually the case. Parang¡¯s exact plan isn¡¯t to show the Kraken to the world, but rather to ¡®make the Kraken safe to expose to the world.¡¯ There¡¯s obviously a significant difference between the two. It¡¯s a concept of preparing a contingency plan. Of course, given her nature of fighting in the deep sea, it¡¯s reasonable to say that people would almost never see her summoning the Kraken. However, this ¡®almost never¡¯ part bothered her. What if, by some chance, the Kraken¡¯s appearance was exposed to the public? What if some crazy person managed to get and spread footage of Parang using the Kraken? Parang knows it¡¯s an extremely unlikely probability. But considering the consequences if it did happen, it¡¯s not something that can be ignored just because ¡®the probability is low.¡¯ So, the issue of exposing the Kraken has been weighing on Parang¡¯s mind ever since she started streaming. Until now, she had no way to deal with it, so she just left it alone. And Parang saw a glimmer of hope in her newly acquired skill, [Perception Distortion]. It was clearly stated that the power of perception distortion is proportional to the user¡¯s strongest mental attack skill. As long as Parang has the Kraken, the power of perception distortion could be considered nearly infinite. Then, what would happen if she distorted the perception of the Kraken? What if she made the Kraken¡¯s tentacles appear as simple rocks? It was complicated. She didn¡¯t know if it could be cast on the Kraken, or if it would actually block mental attacks. But if it¡¯s possible, Parang could both gain a powerful card and eliminate a major concern. So she¡¯s been testing it in various ways. First, through today¡¯s broadcast, she discovered that perception distortion works even on people watching through screens. Next, she found that anything filmed while under perception distortion maintains its distorted appearance even after Parang removes the effect. And crucially, she confirmed that perception distortion works on her body as well. One might ask what her body has to do with casting perception distortion on the Kraken. After all, Parang merely has the ability to summon the Kraken, she isn¡¯t the Kraken itself, right? ¡­or so it would seem. ¡®It¡¯s about time I admitted it.¡¯ Though Parang had been in denial until now, she was vaguely beginning to accept it. That her ability wasn¡¯t simply ¡®summoning¡¯ the Kraken. That her existence was fundamentally connected to the Kraken in some way. The reason Parang had desperately denied this fact was simple. Because she¡¯s human. Because she¡¯s not a monster. But if she really just summoned the Kraken and left auto-hunting to it. Then why did Natsuko¡¯s skill, absorbed by the Kraken, flow into Parang? This was the worry that had troubled Parang the most over the past week. The thought that she might not be human, but could be a monster. It brought her an indescribably deep sense of revulsion. That¡¯s why Parang hadn¡¯t yet used [Spirit Eye] on herself or the Kraken she summoned. She hoped she would never have to use it. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Chomp, chomp. Parang shook off the thoughts that were trying to drag her into darkness again. The point is, yes. That perception distortion worked perfectly well on Parang¡¯s body. Which means there¡¯s a high possibility it will work on the Kraken too. ¡®Right. That¡¯s good enough.¡¯ Think only about the positives. Just the positives. Don¡¯t get caught up in negative thoughts. Parang deliberately changed her train of thought. For instance, the countless possible uses of ¡®perception distortion.¡¯ ¡®Designate one object and make it appear as whatever form you want to everyone else, including yourself.¡¯ The more you think about it, the more broken this skill seems. It¡¯s incomprehensible why it¡¯s only A-rank. You could make a grenade look like a rock, or vice versa. Just a little brainstorming brings up hundreds of ways this one skill could turn the tide of battle. But that doesn¡¯t apply to Parang. Since she can¡¯t use skills outside of water. And underwater, there¡¯s no real need for perception distortion. It¡¯s a chicken rib in many ways. For the first time, Parang felt the condition of ¡®cannot use skills outside water¡¯ as a restriction. She gave a bitter smile. Still, there was one fortunate thing. Though she wasn¡¯t feeling great, at least the depression had lifted. Putting aside her identity crisis for now, Parang spent her time enjoyably. As she drew Yuna being chased by Tokeless, the outside gradually grew dark. ¡®I¡¯m getting sleepy¡­¡¯ Current time, eleven at night. A perfectly reasonable time to be sleepy. Parang left her art room and headed to her bedroom. And right then. Ding dong- The doorbell rang. When she peeked outside the door, there was a delivery box. Parang traced back through her memories and deduced what it was. ¡®It came faster than expected.¡¯ When she brought the box inside and opened the packaging, there was a skill scroll nestled within layers of cushioning material. As she picked it up, a message appeared before her eyes. [Would you like to learn the skill ¡®Dive¡¯(S)?] It¡¯s Xiao¡¯s Dive. Seeing how Xiao was struggling too much with that eye monster during the dive process, this was the solution proposed by Oceanos, including herself. Extract Dive into a scroll using Xiao¡¯s blood, then have everyone possess it. It¡¯s definitely a way to reduce the burden. Though she¡¯ll need about two days of rest after the blood draw. Excluding Russell, Vertea, and Diego who couldn¡¯t learn it due to skill conflict issues, Elvira and Parang would possess Dive. [Skill acquisition complete.] Parang wore a satisfied smile. Skill scrolls give different sensations when learning them, and this one felt like, well, standing still while only your head is submerged in a swamp. It wasn¡¯t particularly pleasant. So Parang¡¯s smile must have come from the joy of being able to lighten her friend¡¯s burden. Having been thoroughly criticized by viewers today, she didn¡¯t forget to write a broadcast notice. [Next broadcast will be in four days.] Then, she lay down in her bedroom¡¯s water tank. Though it was late, sleep wouldn¡¯t come. ¡®Tomorrow, finally.¡¯ She would get to meet Alice. Clutching her pounding heart, Parang tossed and turned in the water tank for a while before falling asleep. # ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± Parang opened her eyes in a pitch-black space where there was no sense of direction ¨C front, back, left, or right. ¡®Ah, this¡­¡¯ Somehow familiar¡­ ah, right. ¡®I think I had a similar dream before.¡¯ Once before, she had a dream where she opened her eyes in this pitch-black space and met someone. Though she couldn¡¯t remember when it was. But she vaguely remembered who she met. It was another Parang who felt somehow impure, unpleasant, and corrupted. Parang slowly walked through the space that was nothing but darkness. She¡¯d heard that when you realize you¡¯re dreaming, you can fly and do whatever you want. But apparently that wasn¡¯t working. Finally, she saw a throne standing majestically in the distance. Just like she¡¯d seen before ¨C an unpleasant, sticky-looking chair emanating waves of evil energy. Whoosh-!! The moment Parang recognized the throne¡¯s presence, the distance between her and it closed instantly, like magnets attracting each other. Suddenly, Parang found herself face to face with that dark and ominous Parang. Though she clearly had Parang¡¯s appearance, she was more depressed and darker. She sat on the throne and gave Parang a gentle wave. ¡°Nice to see you. Is this the second time?¡± She sat there arrogantly, legs crossed, slouching slightly. Parang felt disgusted. Last time, she¡¯d only said what she wanted to say before Parang woke up, but fortunately today Parang could speak. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell by looking? I¡¯m you.¡± Something about her way of speaking was irritating. ¡°Stop playing games. You know what I¡¯m asking.¡± ¡°Of course I know. And playing games? I don¡¯t do such things.¡± ¡°What the¡­!!¡± Parang tried to approach the throne in anger, but her legs wouldn¡¯t move. It felt like they were bound in chains. ¡°Show your true identity. Stop hiding behind my appearance in such a disgusting way. Using someone else¡¯s appearance like this, how creepy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I need to say this, but I¡¯ve already revealed my identity. Besides, this isn¡¯t your appearance, it¡¯s mine.¡± Parang tried to express her unbearable anger, but the Parang on the throne beat her to it. Grab-!! ¡°Ugh¡­!!¡± In an instant, Parang¡¯s throat was seized. Even though it was a dream, she could feel the pain and suffocation. The Parang on the throne brought Parang¡¯s ear close to her lips and whispered. ¡°Shall I tell you something interesting? You¡¯ve been betrayed. By the one closest to you.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you¡­ who¡­!¡± The words wouldn¡¯t come out properly through her constricted breathing. ¡°Are you asking who it is? Should I tell you?¡± The evil Parang¡¯s smile grew deeper. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t. And you¡¯ll start doubting everyone around you. Trembling with anxiety, nurturing the darkness within you bit by bit.¡± Parang¡¯s consciousness began to fade. ¡°See you next time.¡± ¡°You¡­ bas¡­¡± # ¡°AAAAHHHHH-!!!¡± SPLASH!! ¡°HAAAAAAH!!!¡± Parang jolted upright as if she¡¯d been launched from her body. It was her bedroom, with the peaceful nighttime ocean ASMR playing. Outside the window, dawn was just beginning to break. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± For the first time in a very long while, Parang let a curse word slip from her mouth. She was feeling absolutely terrible. Chapter 105 Chapter 105EP.105 The Answer We Had Been Searching For Was Not Far Away (1) Shhhhhhhhhh- Throughout history and across cultures, when humans are deep in contemplation, they often choose bathing as their accompanying activity. Ancient Archimedes shouted ¡°Eureka!¡± while soaking in his bathtub, and we modern people also tend to frequent the shower when we need to contemplate life, human existence, and the origins of the universe. Parang was no different. The fact that she was standing in the shower getting drenched, despite having no need for showers thanks to her skill, meant that something was deeply troubling her. Dreams are usually forgotten upon waking, but last night¡¯s dream wasn¡¯t just memorable ¨C it was practically etched into her brain. Shhhhhhhhhh- As the pleasant water droplets tapped against her scalp, Parang fell deep into thought. ¡®Who was that¡­ no, what was that thing?¡¯ The entity she¡¯d met twice in her dreams, wearing her face, saying ¡®I am you.¡¯ ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Parang clutched her head. Thinking back to all the web novels she¡¯d read in her previous life, such beings often turned out to be truly oneself. Either a future self, a past self, or a self from another world¡­ She couldn¡¯t dismiss it as just a meaningless dream. The Parang in her dream was definitely not just a creation of her unconscious mind. The problem was that the dream Parang was exactly the type of being she wanted nothing to do with. Emanating an ominous aura while threatening Parang ¨C no matter how she looked at it, a confrontation seemed inevitable. As if that eye monster wasn¡¯t causing her enough distress, now this doppelganger was acting up in her dreams. And from the way it spoke, it seemed likely to show up again in the future. Plus, since it claimed to be Parang, it was exceptionally skilled at getting under her skin. ¡°You¡¯ve been betrayed.¡± The conversation from the dream remained vivid. ¡°Betrayed¡­ you say.¡± Parang pondered for a moment before hastily shaking her head. ¡®It¡¯s just nonsense. I can¡¯t let myself get caught up in such obvious attempts to manipulate me.¡¯ Right. It¡¯s absurd. Who could possibly betray Parang? At least among those close to her, those she regularly interacts with, there was no one. ¡®Maybe¡­?¡¯ Letting suspicion grow about those around her would be falling right into that damn thing¡¯s trap. Parang decided not to think about it anymore. ¡®The question is how to deal with this¡­¡¯ Though she was helpless this time, she absolutely refused to be pushed around like this next time, or the time after that. But this was equally troublesome. How does one defeat an entity that appears in dreams, talks trash, and disappears? ¡®Maybe I should buy a dreamcatcher.¡¯ Parang couldn¡¯t help but smirk. A dreamcatcher, really. At that point, Parang¡¯s contemplation ended. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t come up with anything better than a dreamcatcher. Which meant that pondering this problem any further would be meaningless. Besides, it was almost time for the appointment. Parang turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. ¡®Let¡¯s forget about it for now.¡¯ Today was the day she would meet the friend she had been searching for. The day she would meet her precious friend who she thought was dead, who she thought she could never meet again. Right now, she wanted to give herself over to excitement and anticipation. Come to think of it, maybe that cursed being had appeared in her dream targeting this moment too. The more she thought about it, the more calculating and detestable that being seemed. If it was going to so blatantly try to get under her skin, Parang¡¯s best response would be to completely ignore it. Parang cast all the gloomy memories to the far corners of her consciousness. Looking at the clock, it was eleven-thirty. The meeting was at twelve. Parang energetically left her house and dove into the sea. # And so, the East Sea! Parang arrived at the meeting place. Right here where she was floating, Alice Melville had been dragged into the deep sea in Titan¡¯s grasp. If one were to go all the way to the bottom, they would probably see the enormous footprints Titan had left behind. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang anxiously turned on her phone to check the time. Eleven fifty-four. Fifty-five¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ As Parang kept looking around restlessly, expecting Alice to pop up at any moment, something caught her eye. Swimming over like lightning to get a closer look, she saw a familiar aberration that she knew well. A T-shaped red body with oddly dopey-looking eyes in the middle. It was a Capulus. ¡®She said she was watching through these¡­¡¯ That¡¯s what Alice had said, in the memory Parang had looked into. When Vertea heard that the Capulus were Alice¡¯s CCTV, she nearly flipped out. And now, for such a Capulus to appear in this place¡­ ¡®Alice must have sent it.¡¯ There was no other way to think about it. ¡®But what am I supposed to do with it?¡¯ Parang was momentarily dumbfounded. She understood Alice had sent it, but what was she supposed to do with it? ¡®Wasn¡¯t she coming herself? No, that couldn¡¯t be right.¡¯ Could she be riding inside the Capulus? So Parang tapped here and there on the Capulus¡¯s body, looking for anything suspicious, until she discovered something. Right below the Capulus¡¯s eyeball, there was tiny writing. Touch the eye. ¡®The eye?¡¯ And so Parang mindlessly placed her hand on the Capulus¡¯s eye, and, Whoosh-!! At that moment, she felt her whole body being sucked into somewhere. ¡°Wh-whoa?!¡± Startled by the sudden impact, Parang unconsciously closed her eyes, and, Flash-! When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself standing in an unfamiliar place she had never seen before. ¡®Where is this¡­¡¯ Parang was standing in the middle of an underwater cave. Peculiarly, the rock forming the cave was entirely red. ¡®What is this? A hallucination? Teleportation?¡¯ No, it couldn¡¯t be a hallucination. Parang couldn¡¯t have hallucinations underwater. ¡®So did I really teleport or something?¡¯ She hurriedly tried to check the depth gauge on her left wrist, but instead of the gauge, there was only a black suit sleeve. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Right, she had broken her suit. Parang held her forehead, berating her past self. Depth assessment abandoned. From the fact that the cave walls¡¯ color was clearly visible despite there being no light source, she could only determine that this was the aberration layer. As she looked around trying to assess the situation, something touched her arm. Poke- When she turned around, the Capulus was staring at her with what could be called a ¡®gotcha¡¯ expression. Parang jumped back in surprise. ¡®Geez, you scared me¡­¡¯ Looking at it from a distance, this Capulus was much smaller than the ones Parang usually saw. Roughly measuring against Parang¡¯s height, it was 1m vertically and 2m horizontally. Exactly one-tenth the size of the ones she usually saw. Parang remembered seeing these before. ¡®Right, from that memory¡­¡¯ They were the same size as the small units that had delivered artifacts to Han Si-woo and the Slayers. ¡®Oh? Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Parang looked at the Capulus once, then at the cave wall once. After putting the Capulus against the cave wall and comparing once more, she was certain. The Capulus and the material making up this cave were the same substance. The cave walls were exactly the same red color as the Capulus. Parang proceeded along the cave, harboring countless questions in her heart. Fortunately, there was no confusion about which way was forward or back. The Capulus beside Parang kept nudging her back, pushing her in the right direction. The cave was a straight passage with consistent height and width. This was an impossible formation to occur naturally. Moreover, the walls that had been rough earlier became smoother as they went along. No matter how you looked at it, it was more like a tunnel than a cave. And finally. Reaching the end of the corridor, Parang encountered stairs leading upward. Parang could feel it instinctively. If she climbed these stairs, she would meet Alice. Ten million different emotions stirred within her. Parang carefully recalled the path she had walked until now. With the first step, their first meeting. With the second step, the happy moments. With the third step, the day she couldn¡¯t protect her. With the fourth step, the moments spent searching for her with everyone, consumed by madness. With the fifth step, the memory she had clearly witnessed. And so, one step, then another. Though she could have swum up instantly, Parang climbed the stairs one step at a time with her eyes closed. After what felt like an eternity, Parang finally reached the top of the stairs. She took a deep breath and opened her closed eyes. There she was. A girl with beautiful purple hair. A girl in a white dress with a small, cute face. Her precious friend. Sitting alone on a chair in the middle of an empty room, waving at Parang with a smile. Parang raised her arm to rub her eyes, then looked ahead once more. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. Alice was really there. Since seeing Alice in the memory within that pendant, Parang had been practicing something every day. Parang practiced not crying every day. She wanted to show a smiling face to Alice when they finally met again. And while practicing not to cry every day, Parang realized. That she would inevitably cry the moment she met Alice. Before Parang could even make a conscious decision, her body moved first. When she came to her senses, Parang was already tightly hugging Alice and crying like a child. Because if she didn¡¯t hold on tight like this now, it felt like she might fly away again at any moment. Alice quietly patted Parang¡¯s back. In Parang¡¯s ears, she heard that lovely voice she thought she¡¯d never hear again. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Her voice too was thick with undisguisable tears. ¡°I missed you¡­¡± Parang responded with a tearful voice as well. Chapter 106 Chapter 106EP.106 The Answer We Had Been Searching For Was Not Far Away (2) It was quite a while after their meeting before Parang and Alice could begin their intended conversation. Time had passed as they hugged and cried together, and even after the crying, there were still difficulties. ¡°Pfft, hahaha!!¡± Having cried for so long, both of their eyes were rimmed with red. Just looking at each other¡¯s faces made them burst into laughter, taking even more time to calm down. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down. I have a lot I want to tell you.¡± Gruuuuuuuud- As Alice gestured, the floor of the empty stone chamber rose up by itself, forming chairs and a table. ¡°Sorry. I wish I could offer you something to drink.¡± ¡®It really is Alice.¡¯ To deliver such a line without changing expression even underwater ¨C it was exactly like the Alice that Parang knew. Finally able to have a serious conversation, Alice said to Parang: ¡°Feel free to ask anything you¡¯re curious about. It¡¯s better to get everything you want to know out in the open ¨C it¡¯ll help you focus better.¡± Things to ask about. The questions that immediately came to mind were mountainous. What she saw in the Kraken¡¯s memories, what Parang should do now, what that unidentified monster really was, and so on. Alice was someone who had glimpsed the Kraken¡¯s memories. What she knew could be of immense help to Parang. To use an analogy, Parang was the warrior, and Alice was the sage. But what came out of Parang¡¯s mouth had nothing to do with any of that ¨C it was something quite unexpected. ¡°Have you¡­ been well?¡± Parang asked after Alice¡¯s wellbeing. Reunited with a dear friend after years of searching, this was their first conversation. For this moment at least, they wanted to continue this conversation as ¡®friends.¡¯ Alice hesitated for a moment, but seeming to understand Parang¡¯s feelings, she soon gave a gentle smile. ¡°Have I been well¡­ Well, if I had to say, yes. I¡¯ve been well. Though that¡¯s relative, considering ¡®what I¡¯ve been through.¡¯¡± ¡°We made a grave for you, you know? Every year on that day, we¡¯d visit, pour out drinks, and sit there talking.¡± ¡°I saw that. You made quite a nice one, didn¡¯t you?¡± Though she spoke casually, almost jokingly, Alice¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t entirely at ease. Just as Parang and Oceanos had missed Alice, Alice had missed her friends too. The days she had to spend watching from behind Capulus must have been painful for her. Parang could see that in Alice¡¯s eyes. So without even realizing it, Parang began to unfold stories. For Alice, who must have missed her friends. For Alice, who must have suffered as much as they had. ¡°You know¡­ Diego passed the B-rank test. Vertea still hasn¡¯t passed. Russell got a girlfriend but was dumped, and¡­¡± Though Parang was supposedly the one who came to hear stories, somehow they kept wanting to tell more. Because Alice¡¯s smile as she listened to these stories looked so genuinely happy. ¡°And about the deep-sea hunter ranking test, it¡¯s going to happen soon. You used to talk about it a lot, remember?¡± Even though it had started as just a cover story suggested by Seo Sunwoo to deceive Natsuko and meet Parang, Parang had taken the deep-sea hunter test development quite seriously. Despite being busy, they had researched materials in their spare time, contemplated appropriate evaluation methods, and proposed several concrete plans. Seo Sunwoo, who had originally planned to scrap the project after Natsuko¡¯s death, saw Parang¡¯s attitude and seriously began planning the deep-sea hunter ranking test. As a result, by the time of Natsuko¡¯s death, the deep-sea hunter ranking test project was nearing completion. Though it was temporarily suspended when the association became paralyzed. There were several reasons why Parang had poured so much passion into the deep-sea hunter test, but Alice¡¯s influence was certainly one of them. After all, Alice had been the most passionate advocate for implementing ranking tests for deep-sea hunters. She had appeared on broadcasts for interviews and even submitted her own articles. Though they were buried under public indifference. That¡¯s why Parang had been determined to tell Alice about this when they met. Alice smiled brightly upon hearing Parang¡¯s story. It was a truly happy expression. Looking at it made one naturally think, ¡®I¡¯m glad I told her.¡¯ But why? Alice¡¯s expression was definitely brighter when listening to stories about Parang and their friends. Was hearing about her friends more joyful than learning that her long-held wish had come true? Parang felt they could understand that feeling. Oceanos was the most precious group of friends in Parang¡¯s life. The sea and deep-sea hunters that had been all but abandoned by the world, and the spine-chilling monsters. The grim reality where someone you saw alive underwater today might be found as a sunken corpse the next day. In such circumstances, Oceanos had supported each other, relied on one another, and protected the world together. Without them, even Parang, who loved and cherished the sea, would have struggled to come this far. And surely, to Alice and everyone else too, they were equally precious to each other. Then, why¡­ ¡°Did you know? That we were desperately searching for you¡­¡± Parang¡¯s voice dropped slightly. ¡°Yes. I knew from the moment that monster grabbed and dragged me down. I knew you would all search every corner of the ocean for me. I would have done the same. Though I didn¡¯t see it with my own eyes until later.¡± ¡°Then, why¡­¡± Parang stopped there and just looked at Alice. Parang¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. ¡°Why did I keep hiding myself, you mean?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Alice¡¯s expression also darkened considerably at that question. She too knew how desperately her friends had searched for her, and what wounds they had suffered in the process. But she was no different. Alice too had watched her friends¡¯ figures day after day, taking in their image with tears in her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t avoid you because I wanted to. Through Capulus¡¯s eyes, I imagined running to you and falling into everyone¡¯s embrace thousands of times.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t. No, I couldn¡¯t. If I had met with you directly, there was a chance that monster would have encountered you too.¡± ¡°That monster¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The very one you¡¯re thinking of. Even at this moment, that monster is probably drifting through the sea searching for me. Thanks to this cave I¡¯ve gotten a brief respite, but I¡¯ll have to leave here someday too.¡± ¡°Looking for you? That monster? W-why? No, is that even possible? For it to have will and actively search for you?¡± Alice closed her eyes briefly and sank into thought. The fate of the world would be determined by how she answered here. Tens of thousands of possibilities flashed through her closed eyelids in an instant. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s searching for me with any will of its own. It¡¯s probably something like being naturally drawn to me because part of that being is mixed with my body.¡± Alice chose to tell a lie. She added with a bitter expression. ¡°Actually, even meeting you like this now is something I shouldn¡¯t be doing. But I asked to meet you because I felt something terrible would happen if I just kept watching the situation.¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡± Parang¡¯s heart grew anxious. From what Alice was saying, an encounter between Parang and that eye monster at this point would be extremely dangerous. ¡°Then is this place safe? Where exactly are we anyway?¡± Parang looked around. Alice and Parang were sitting in a stone chamber about one pyeong in size, made of red stone. It seemed to be the same stone as the cave they saw earlier. ¡°This place is relatively safe. It¡¯s the deepest level of the Mariana Hive. You teleported here through this.¡± The deepest level of the Mariana Hive would indeed seem good for avoiding detection. After all, isn¡¯t this the place that even Oceanos couldn¡¯t reach the bottom of after diving all day? Alice made a slight gesture with her hand, and a piece of the wall broke off and took the form of a Capulus. ¡°This is more useful than you¡¯d think. You can connect two different Capulus together and use them like a warp device.¡± Parang looked back and forth between Alice and the Capulus with an astonished expression. She wasn¡¯t surprised by the fact that teleportation was possible using Capulus. What truly astonished her was the creation process of the Capulus itself. ¡°Wait, you said this is a Hive? But how did you just¡­!¡± Hives, or Objects, cannot be destroyed. That¡¯s because physical interference is impossible. Not just breaking, but heating, scraping, digging, or bending ¨C all of it is impossible. Even the Gears living in Hives and Objects cannot dig tunnels inside them. They can only occupy spaces that already exist, like caves. Therefore, if this is the Mariana Hive, Alice¡¯s action of breaking off the wall to create a Capulus should be impossible. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Alice casually performed the feat of disassembling the Capulus and putting it back into the wall as if it were nothing, then kindly answered Parang¡¯s question. ¡°That¡¯s right. Usually, it¡¯s impossible to physically interfere with a Hive. Have you ever thought about why that is?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t thought about it. She¡¯d just accepted that it wasn¡¯t possible. As Parang scratched her head with a lukewarm expression, Alice continued her explanation. ¡°It¡¯s because the state of Hives and Objects is fixed. Because they don¡¯t belong to our world, our timeline, we who are bound to this world cannot interfere with them.¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand. What do you mean? Our timeline, that means¡­¡± Parang¡¯s pupils shook violently. The implication that our timeline exists, and that there are objects that don¡¯t belong to it¡­ ¡°Are you saying¡­ multiple timelines exist¡­?¡± And when Parang¡¯s knowledge considered what the existence of multiple timelines meant in novels, there was only one answer. ¡°Regression¡­¡± Yes. Regression. Going back to the past. ¡°That¡¯s right. This world is constantly regressing. Endlessly, eternally. In that process, the previous worlds and newly born worlds kept colliding, and the Hives and Objects are the result of objects from previous worlds flowing into newly created worlds.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Parang felt dizzy. She hadn¡¯t expected to hear such profound secrets of the world out of nowhere. ¡°So you¡¯re saying this world is infinitely regressing? That it returns to the past from a certain point, and keeps repeating that?¡± ¡°Yes. While the ending points of worldlines vary slightly, the starting point is always the same.¡± ¡°¡­When is that?¡± ¡°March 19, 2018.¡± Parang¡¯s pupils shook as if hit by an earthquake. ¡°March¡­ 19¡­ 2018¡­?¡± March 19, 2018. 1. March. 19. A date clearly etched in Parang¡¯s memory. That day.¡¯I choose the trait,.¡¯ That day. The day Parang awakened. The day she became the ¡®Daughter of the Kraken.¡¯ The world was endlessly regressing toward that day. Chapter 107 Chapter 107EP.107 The Answer We Had Been Searching For Was Not Far Away (3) ¡®The world is regressing.¡¯ Back to the day when she awakened her powers. Back to the day when she became the ¡®Daughter of the Kraken.¡¯ Of course, Parang has no memory of any regression. Her childhood spent in an orphanage from the moment she was born. The moment she regained her past life memories and awakened with a status window. And up until now. Parang remembered all of those lives continuously. The world was the same way. Right now, Parang could look up the internet and recite exactly what had happened to the world the day before her awakening. ¡°Tell me¡­ tell me more details. What are the conditions for regressing? What causes it? Are all the memories from before the rewind fake?¡± The confused Parang bombarded Alice with questions. The kind Alice didn¡¯t get flustered by Parang¡¯s barrage of questions, and answered her step by step. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll explain everything I know. First, you asked about the conditions for regressing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Parang nodded. Now that she knew the world was regressing, she absolutely had to find out when and under what conditions it happened. Fortunately, Alice gave a clear answer. ¡°It¡¯s when you die, Parang. The world regression when you die.¡± To be precise, there was one more condition besides death, but this was information that the current Parang shouldn¡¯t know. ¡°When I die, it regression¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The timing varied, but the pattern was always the same. The Kraken senses your death, then rewind.¡± Parang looked at her hands with trembling eyes. ¡­Even from far away, a monster can immediately sense when its egg is broken. When she dies, the Kraken senses it, and the world regression. Back to that very day when she awakened. ¡°How pitiful. Do you still believe you¡¯re human?¡± The voice she heard in her dream echoes. Parang shook her head to dismiss that thought. ¡®No. Go away. I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not a monster.¡¯ Her chest felt tight. Was it because they were underwater? ¡°Why¡­ why did it have to be me¡­?¡± To this question that wasn¡¯t really a question, Alice answered. ¡°It¡¯s definitely related to the Kraken. Even as the world kept regressing with each round, the Kraken¡¯s memories remained intact.¡± ¡°The Kraken¡­¡± This damned mass of tentacles is everywhere. ¡°As for whether the memories before the rewind are fake¡­ I can¡¯t answer that. That¡¯s in the realm of philosophy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± Are the memories from before March 19, 2018 my memories? Or are they the memories of the first round me? Or are they no one¡¯s memories at all? As Alice said, this was philosophical territory. Parang didn¡¯t want to contemplate such things in the midst of everything else. Skip this issue. She decided to only ask questions that would help deal with the current situation. ¡°Then besides the Kraken, what about that¡­ eyeball monster? Does it exist in all time periods?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not in all time periods. That eyeball monster has existed since the first rewind. In other words, it didn¡¯t exist in the original round¡­ the 0th round. And¡­ since it appeared, it has clashed with the Kraken in almost every round. I mean they were hostile.¡± ¡°Hostile with the Kraken¡­ huh.¡± ¡°Right. Even my previous escape was thanks to the conflict between the Kraken and that eyeball.¡± By ¡®previous,¡¯ she must mean when Alice escaped from that cocoon and ate the Kraken¡¯s tentacle. ¡°When you say ¡®almost every round¡¯¡­ does that mean the eyeball¡¯s actions changed with each round?¡± Parang asked while deep in thought. If something showed noticeably different behavior in each round, it must also be related to the regression. But the idea that the eyeball had self-awareness and acted differently in each round while being conscious of the regression¡­ that was somehow hard to accept. Alice¡¯s answer didn¡¯t stray far from Parang¡¯s frame of thought. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bit unclear. The few rounds where the Kraken didn¡¯t clash with that eyeball all ended incredibly quickly. At most a month, and some time periods only lasted a day. You probably died in some freak accident or something like that. So there wasn¡¯t even a chance for them to clash. I think if you had stayed alive in those rounds, the Kraken and eyeball would have clashed.¡± Alice pondered for a moment, then added. ¡°But it didn¡¯t show exactly the same behavior in every round either. As rounds repeated, that eyeball kept getting stronger. At first it was completely overwhelmed by the Kraken, but as time passed, they became almost equal in power.¡± ¡°It gets stronger with each round? Just continuously, like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The eyeball in each subsequent round was definitely more powerful than in the previous one.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ my odds of winning get worse and worse with each rewind.¡± ¡°Yeah. Probably.¡± Alice closed her eyes for a moment. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of possible paths flashed through her mind once again. ¡®As I thought, it¡¯s not time yet.¡¯ Revealing the truth would have to wait. Right now, she needed to redirect Parang¡¯s thoughts. Alice spoke up. ¡°So, this is just my theory, but¡­ I think that eyeball might be some kind of¡­ ¡®error data¡¯ that occurred when the world started regressing. The fact that it didn¡¯t exist in the 0th round before the regression began, and how it gets stronger with each rewind¡­¡± Of course, this was a lie. It wasn¡¯t error data at all. But it was a plausible theory nonetheless. Parang nodded. ¡°Error data¡­ That does make sense.¡± Parang closed her eyes in thought. ¡°Then, besides the Kraken and the eyeball, are there no other beings that retain their memories after each rewind?¡± Even as she asked the question, an answer flashed through Parang¡¯s mind. The subtly altered original story, his attitude of knowing everything, actions that made no sense from a normal person¡¯s perspective. ¡°¡­Han Siwoo.¡± While it seemed like an out-of-place name to bring up in a conversation about the Kraken and regression, if you considered him as someone who could rewind, too many things lined up perfectly. ¡®What kind of thinking is this¡­¡¯ Meanwhile, Alice could only shake her head at how quickly Parang had arrived at the answer. ¡®This is getting out of hand.¡¯ She had originally planned to keep it hidden, but now that things had come to this¡­ Alice tried to subtly change the subject. ¡°Do you have any other questions about the regression?¡± ¡°In other rounds¡­ was Han Siwoo dragged to the sea like he is now?¡± ¡®Oh dear, she¡¯s not letting this go.¡¯ With no other choice, Alice switched to playing dumb. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only seen the Kraken¡¯s memories, not Han Siwoo¡¯s.¡± ¡°Are you saying that in all those rounds, there wasn¡¯t a single one where the Kraken and Han Siwoo crossed paths?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Which round are we in now?¡± ¡°The 42nd.¡± ¡°42¡­¡± It could be considered a lot, but then again, it wasn¡¯t that high of a number. ¡®It¡¯s ambiguous¡­¡¯ ¡°Any other questions about the regression? Though¡­ I¡¯ve pretty much told you everything I know, so I¡¯m not sure I could answer anything else.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t think of any other questions right now¡­ Ah.¡± As Parang pondered, a question suddenly occurred to her. ¡°Did the Kraken exist before the regression began?¡± ¡®Why is her intuition so sharp?¡¯ Alice was internally alarmed. At this rate, Parang might discover things that couldn¡¯t be undone. Fortunately, she had barely dodged the bullet this time. Alice told Parang the truth. ¡°No. The Kraken has existed since March 19, 2018. At least, that¡¯s when the memories I¡¯ve seen begin.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± After thinking for a moment, Parang seemed to reach her own conclusion and said to Alice. ¡°I think we¡¯ve talked enough about the regression. Besides, I don¡¯t think that was your main reason for wanting to meet with me.¡± Alice internally breathed a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. Besides, as Parang said, the world¡¯s regression weren¡¯t the main topic of today¡¯s conversation. ¡°Right. We should get to the main point.¡± Parang listened attentively to Alice¡¯s words. Alice was taking a risk to meet her while hiding from that eyeball monster. That meant whatever message she wanted to convey was both urgent and important. And here they¡¯d spent all this time chatting about regression. ¡®I feel a bit guilty.¡¯ But well, it had been information Parang needed to hear, and Alice hadn¡¯t shown any particular signs of urgency. This level of delay seemed acceptable to her. ¡°Ah, before we get to the main point¡­ there¡¯s one last thing we need to address.¡± ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± Parang tilted her head at Alice¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s important. It¡¯s also the reason I asked to meet you alone today.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay. Go ahead.¡± Come to think of it, Alice had insisted on meeting only with Parang, excluding other Oceanos members. Things like the world¡¯s regression, the truth about Hive, Object, and Capulus¡¯s secrets were shocking, but they were facts that other Oceanos members could know about. There had to be a different reason why Alice wanted to speak with Parang alone. She looked at Parang with the most serious expression Parang had ever seen on her face. ¡°Parang.¡± Looking at Alice¡¯s eyes, Parang felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine. Whenever she got this feeling, something unimaginable always followed. Today would prove no different. ¡°To you, am I a ¡®person,¡¯ or am I a ¡®character¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Parang froze stiff, staring at Alice with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°You heard me correctly. To you, am I a real person, or a character in a novel?¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108EP.108 The Answer We Had Been Searching For Was Not Far Away (4) sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang¡¯s eyes trembled. Her expression became extremely, extremely uncomfortable. What could the Kraken¡¯s true identity be, for Alice to know even this much? There were two reasons. First, obviously because Alice¡¯s question came too suddenly. ¡°How do I think of you¡­ Well.¡± Second, the doubt about whether Alice really didn¡¯t know Parang¡¯s answer to this question. ¡°Well, of course I think of you as a living person.¡± Since awakening in this world, not once had she thought of the people around her as mere ¡®characters.¡¯ The orphanage director who was endlessly loving to the children, yet secretly sighed over money worries. The village elders who deeply cherished Parang while secretly competing among themselves to make her their daughter-in-law. Manager Choi from the Association who looked after his subordinates even while being worn down by work. Yuna, who seemed careless and clumsy yet occasionally showed flashes of sharp insight. Branch Manager Seo Sunwoo, who sacrificed himself to defeat evil, though he himself was no saint. Natsuko, who despite having spent a happy childhood with precious friends, fell to corruption, seduced by the pleasure of power. And her irreplaceable friends, the Oceanos. Parang had never once thought of them as mere characters in a novel. She swore to herself, not even once. They were all ¡®people¡¯ who lived and breathed beside her, creating their own stories. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t move according to Parang¡¯s predictions, sometimes surprising her, and occasionally showing strategies that overwhelmed her. And Parang felt no sense of discomfort or betrayal about that. Because they weren¡¯t characters, but people. Because they were beings equal to herself. That¡¯s why Parang lived so intensely. So she wouldn¡¯t fall behind these people who each shone in their own place. So that this ¡®world¡¯ where such people lived could remain peaceful. So that she wouldn¡¯t lose these precious ¡®people.¡¯ There was a time when Parang too had struggled with the boundary between fiction and reality. There had certainly been times when she searched for a way to return to her original world. But after making up her mind, she never changed her thinking. That¡¯s why when she learned of the Slayers¡¯ death and the world facing destruction, she could steel her resolve without a moment¡¯s hesitation. That she wouldn¡¯t stand by in the face of this world¡¯s threat. That she wouldn¡¯t run away from this world. That she would protect this world she had lived in with all her might. She didn¡¯t even want to return to her original world. Throwing away all the connections, life, and everything else she had built in this world like an old shoe was never even an option. Besides, if she returned to the original Earth, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live in the ocean anyway. And in Parang¡¯s opinion, Alice was definitely not someone who wouldn¡¯t understand these thoughts of hers. Even if Parang came from inside a novel, anyone could understand her thoughts just by looking at her actions so far. So Parang calmly shared her thoughts briefly in response to Alice¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of anyone, including you or anyone else I¡¯ve met, as a ¡®character.¡¯ This is my reality, and this is the ¡®world¡¯ where I and others live and breathe.¡± She didn¡¯t elaborate further. It didn¡¯t seem like Alice had asked this question wanting to confirm all the details of Parang¡¯s feelings. Parang¡¯s prediction was correct. After hearing Parang¡¯s brief answer, Alice brought up the question she really wanted to ask. ¡°Then, what about Han Siwoo and the Slayers? Are they characters to you, or people?¡± ¡°¡­That¡­¡± Unlike the previous question, Parang couldn¡¯t readily answer that one. Han Siwoo and the Slayers were different from other characters ¨C they were true ¡®characters¡¯ she had read about in the novel. Parang had predicted their actions and knew their personalities. In reality, they never exceeded her predictions. At least not until the ascension. When Parang witnessed their annihilation, her sorrow came more from ¡®beloved novel characters suffering¡¯ rather than ¡®innocent people falling victim to monsters.¡¯ That¡¯s how much the Slayers were alien entities in Parang¡¯s worldview. However. After answering Alice¡¯s previous question and reflecting on it, Parang could somewhat confirm the thoughts she held. That she viewed this world as reality more than she had thought. That she respected those living in it as ¡®people.¡¯ If that was the case, she felt there was no reason to exclude the Slayers from that boundary of respect. Parang slowly nodded. ¡°Yes. They too are living people. I can¡¯t think of them as just characters in a novel anymore.¡± Only then did Alice nod with a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s the answer I wanted to hear.¡± Now it was Parang¡¯s turn to ask. ¡°¡­Why did you want to hear that answer from me? Is it really that important how I think about the Slayers?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s important. Very much so. Parang, I can see tens of thousands of possible endings this world could reach. Almost all of them end in destruction, chaos, and despair.¡± Alice continued with a serious expression. ¡°But among them, there definitely is a ¡®happy ending.¡¯ And you are the only key to reaching it.¡± In the quiet stillness, only Alice¡¯s calm voice resonated. ¡°As someone who knows the truth of this world, and as your friend, I have a duty to help you stay true to yourself and walk that path firmly. My question today was part of that.¡± Alice¡¯s gaze as she looked straight at Parang was deep. Within it was pure sincerity, without a trace of deception. ¡°Finding answers to the questions in your heart is just as important as devising strategies and building strength to defeat that monster. Because with such confusion in your heart, you can never reach happiness.¡± Faced with that profound sincerity, as deep as the ocean itself, Parang could no longer press Alice further. Though uncertain what results Alice¡¯s sudden counseling session would bring, it was clear at least that she had no ill intentions. ¡°What if¡­ what if I had answered that question differently?¡± ¡°I would have tried my best to convince you.¡± ¡°¡­And if you couldn¡¯t convince me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ in that case, since it would mean this world¡¯s bad ending was confirmed, I probably would have sat down in despair. Then calmly¡­ waited for the regression.¡± Seeing how dark Alice¡¯s expression became as she said this, Parang decided to change the subject. There were also things she absolutely had to ask about. ¡°Alice. Just what¡­ what is the Kraken?¡± What is the Kraken¡¯s true identity? It¡¯s certainly not just a powerful monster fish. Just what is it, to have turned Alice into this kind of being? If Parang were to summarize what she¡¯s learned about the Kraken so far, it would be roughly as follows: 1. The Kraken launches mental attacks so powerful that merely looking at it can drive people insane. 2. The Kraken turns all living beings it touches into ¡®itself.¡¯ 3. Parang can summon the Kraken and is immune to its mental attacks. The skills of people absorbed by the Kraken flow into Parang. 4. The Kraken appeared in this world the moment Parang chose to become ¡®the Kraken¡¯s daughter,¡¯ and the world is regressing to the point when the Kraken emerged. 5. The Kraken can sense when Parang dies. 6. The Kraken has the ability to see countless future possibilities. 7. The Kraken knows that Parang came from outside this world. It feels just out of reach. Like she could figure out its identity with just a few more clues. Like she¡¯s just a few steps away from understanding. Since Alice had glimpsed the Kraken¡¯s memories, wouldn¡¯t she know its identity? Or at least have some clues about it? ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know exactly what it is. Just tell me what you do know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Alice hesitated at Parang¡¯s words, then thought for quite a while. ¡°Could we postpone the answer to that question? Not for long. That topic¡­ I think it would be better as the final subject of our conversation today.¡± ¡°The final subject of today¡¯s conversation¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It would be better for you too if we discuss other things before getting to that topic.¡± Parang considered for a moment. It didn¡¯t seem like a big issue. It¡¯s not like Alice was refusing to tell her. ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°So, what are these other things we need to talk about?¡± ¡°Three things. First is about the rising monster fish layer, second is about the ascension ritual, and third is¡­ about the being that¡¯s been appearing in your dreams lately.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Parang let out a sigh. All three were crucial information for her. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the monster fish layer rising. We can¡¯t stop it. It¡¯s already begun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already begun?¡± ¡°Yes. This isn¡¯t something I learned through the Kraken ¨C I investigated it myself using Capulus. The monster fish layer is definitely rising. Right now it¡¯s only risen about 10 meters from its original level, so it¡¯s not noticeable yet.¡± ¡°Then, how high do you think it will rise¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Most likely, it will reach sea level.¡± ¡°Ah, damn¡­¡± Parang swallowed the curse that rose to her throat. Chapter 109 Chapter 109EP.109 The Answer We Had Been Searching For Was Not Far Away (5) ¡°The monster fish layer will¡­ rise to the same level as the sea surface¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just as you heard. Based on the current rate of rise, the monster fish layer will reach the same height as the surface within three months at the latest, or as soon as two weeks.¡± ¡°Why¡­ why is this happening? What¡¯s the reason? Is it just a natural phenomenon? Or did that eyeball cause this?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s probably related to this.¡± Snap! When Alice snapped her fingers, the floor right next to where Parang and Alice were sitting split open with a rumbling sound. There was an empty space the size of a coffin below, and Parang¡¯s expression turned to shock when she saw what was inside. ¡°This, this¡­ How is this possible¡­?¡± Inside was the corpse of World Government President Yoo Sungjun, whom she had seen on the news just days ago. He was covered in white cloth except for his face and bare feet, his eyes closed. ¡°He was abandoned on the Indian Ocean coast. I found him through Capulus and brought him here. That was a week ago. When discovered, the body had been dead for about a week.¡± ¡°So this person¡­ died two weeks ago¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ But just a few days ago, on the news¡­!¡± Just four days ago, Parang had clearly seen Yoo Sungjun giving a speech on the news. Wearing that unpleasant toothy smile, boldly giving a speech in front of citizens. While watching, she had suspected that the Yoo Sungjun on screen might not be real, but she never imagined that the real Yoo Sungjun would be dead and abandoned in the ocean like this. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame I couldn¡¯t use ¡®Mind¡¯s Eye¡¯ through the screen.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡®Mind¡¯s Eye¡¯? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Come to think of it, it was natural that Alice wouldn¡¯t know about Parang¡¯s newly acquired skill. ¡°It¡¯s a skill that sees the true nature of things. I¡¯m not sure exactly how it works yet.¡± ¡°The true nature of things¡­ I see.¡± Alice nodded and seemed to think about something, but instead of delving deeper, she returned to the original topic. ¡°Anyway, this corpse is related to the fundamental reason for the monster fish layer¡¯s rise. Here, look at this.¡± Alice reached out and pulled back the cloth covering Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh¡­!!¡± Parang recoiled instantly at the revolting sight before her eyes. The corpse was exposed except for the vital areas, and red writing densely covered the bare skin. Looking closely, it wasn¡¯t written with ink, but carved into the flesh. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Parang knew very well what a corpse decorated in this way meant in this world. ¡°A sacrifice¡­ for a ¡®ritual¡¯¡­¡± ¡®Ritual.¡¯ It¡¯s not complicated. Humans, sometimes multiple humans, are killed in horrible and cruel predetermined ways and offered somewhere as sacrifices. This can trigger supernatural phenomena. Natsuko had once performed a ritual using a pregnant woman and a starving goat to summon the original work¡¯s boss demon ¡®Barbatos¡¯ early. The ¡®Ascension Ritual¡¯ performed by Han Siwoo and the Slayers also falls into this category, though that was quite exceptional in that they sacrificed their own bodies rather than human lives. ¡°That¡¯s right. This corpse was used as a sacrifice in a ritual. The content of that ritual was probably the rising of the monster fish layer. Can you see the text written here?¡± These words were carved into Yoo Sungjun¡¯s chest. ¡°What¡­ what does this mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Latin. Translated, it means ¡®O Dweller of the Deepest Place, we pray that you will rise to where we remain and reveal your will.¡¯ Something like that.¡± ¡°¡®Dweller of the Deepest Place¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. It has to be that eyeball. Or maybe the Kraken.¡± Alice pointed to various parts of the corpse as she continued. ¡°Look carefully. There are no bruises or burst blood vessels on the body. This means there was no physical struggle. He consented to being sacrificed.¡± ¡°My God¡­¡± ¡°You said you saw him on the news earlier, right? I don¡¯t know exactly what happened, but it¡¯s clear that person was fake. Whether it was created as an illusion, someone in disguise, or¡­ something far more terrible.¡± ¡°How did the World Government know about this ritual¡­?¡± Parang¡¯s question was reasonable. Though the method is horrific, there would be people lining up around the world willing to sacrifice a few humans if it meant wielding supernatural power. Yet rituals aren¡¯t rampant in this world because discovering the methods and results is incredibly, truly incredibly difficult. So there are two main ways to successfully perform a ritual. Either sacrifice people over and over with tiny hints until it works, or spread people throughout the world to search for the ritual method. And the fact that they were able to do it means¡­ ¡°Right. It means things have gone completely off the rails within the World Government.¡± ¡°¡­What should we do now?¡± ¡°First, the stagnant layer is rising most rapidly near the Indian Ocean coast. It seems related to where the corpse was dumped.¡± ¡°The Indian Ocean¡­!¡± The Indian Ocean is the only gap in Oceanos¡¯s underwater surveillance network. This is because their residences are mostly concentrated in the Pacific and Atlantic regions. Though Xiao claims to be monitoring extensively with his network, that¡¯s not as easy as it sounds. Whether by chance or design, the World Government had exploited this gap perfectly. ¡°It¡¯s not very noticeable now, but the rate of rise is gradually accelerating. If we keep ignoring it, things might become truly irreversible. I¡¯ll do my best to help too.¡± ¡°*sigh*¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll look into ways to deal with the stagnant layer¡¯s rise too. Let¡¯s move on to the next topic.¡± ¡°You mean about the ascension?¡± ¡°Yeah. In my memories, you told me to ¡®ascend.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I did.¡± ¡°Is ascension absolutely necessary to catch that monster?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Alice¡¯s answer was so straightforward that Parang momentarily lost track of the conversation¡¯s direction. Her pupils seemed to dilate slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why ascension is necessary. I just know that in every future where Yu Parang wins, she has completed the ¡®ascension ritual.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­Really? That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if it doesn¡¯t seem convincing, that¡¯s all there is to it. I won¡¯t make up stories.¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± Her head was spinning with complexity. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve looked into information about ascension too. I¡¯ve searched every ocean, examining anything that seemed even slightly related. But as you can see, with my body in this state, I can¡¯t leave the water.¡± ¡°So there was no information in the ocean.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I see. About the ascension¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Though Alice didn¡¯t seem to be lying, Parang felt she needed to be cautious, knowing what had happened to the Slayers when they attempted ascension. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next topic.¡± ¡°Right. Next is¡­ that strange presence that¡¯s been appearing in your dreams recently.¡± Parang nodded. When it came to strange presences in her dreams, there was only one. ¡°You¡¯ve been betrayed.¡± That ominous Yu Parang, taking her form while emanating malevolent energy. She confirmed Alice¡¯s answer. ¡°¡­Yeah. Something unpleasant, evil, wearing my face appeared in my dream last night. And once before that, vaguely.¡± ¡°What did it say to you?¡± ¡°That I was betrayed by the person closest to me. That I¡¯m not human, but a monster¡­¡± Parang¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly as she spoke. Those words that were unpleasant just to recall, yet somehow impossible to ignore. Words that mercilessly dug into the deepest fears in Parang¡¯s heart. After hearing this much, Alice placed her hands on both of Parang¡¯s shoulders with a serious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t believe what that being says. Don¡¯t listen to it, just ignore it.¡± Parang knew this intellectually. That she shouldn¡¯t believe such words. That she shouldn¡¯t doubt the people who had stayed by her side. But. ¡°But¡­¡± Past memories flashed through Parang¡¯s mind. Natsuko¡¯s skills, absorbed through the Kraken. The more she thought about it, Parang could clearly feel it. She wasn¡¯t summoning the Kraken. She was pulling it out from inside herself. This fact drove Parang crazy. What if Parang really wasn¡¯t human, but a monster? ¡°What if¡­ people who learn this leave me¡­?¡± The most terrible worry lying dormant in Parang¡¯s deepest core. Her trauma and phobia. The dream entity had precisely identified this and ruthlessly torn apart Parang¡¯s heart. That¡¯s why Parang couldn¡¯t ignore its words. ¡°What if¡­ that really happens¡­?¡± These thoughts kept coming endlessly. Gradually, her breathing became labored. Her chest felt tight and constricted. It felt like a massive stone was crushing her. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­!¡± It felt like someone was strangling her. It was scary and horrible. Just as Parang was about to fall into an abyss of negative emotions. *SLAP!* ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Parang held her stinging cheek and looked at Alice with a bewildered expression. The shock had abruptly interrupted her negative thoughts, bringing her consciousness rushing back to the surface. ¡°Sorry for hitting you. It was the only solution I could think of.¡± ¡°No, no. Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Parang. You are absolutely not a monster.¡± Alice¡¯s eyes gazed sharply at Parang. Though her gaze was fierce, there was clearly warmth within it. ¡°I understand well what you¡¯re worried about. I know what it feels like to have a monster¡¯s part inside my body.¡± Only then did Parang look at Alice. She had forgotten due to Alice¡¯s composed attitude, but Alice also shared the same pain as Parang. What thoughts must have gone through Alice¡¯s mind as she watched, trapped in her cocoon, as the monster¡¯s body flowed into her? Probably not much different from Parang¡¯s. The pain of having something else, something that wasn¡¯t herself. Having a monster mixed into herself. The identity crisis of possibly being a monster. And the fear that her friends might leave her because of it. But unlike Parang, Alice appeared confident. Her eyes still shone as they always had. Just like before they parted. ¡°How, how can you be¡­ so composed?¡± Parang asked Alice haltingly. What filled her question wasn¡¯t jealousy or envy. Hope. Parang was desperately searching for hope in Alice. Desperately. Chapter 110 Chapter 110¡°How¡­ can I remain so calm, you ask.¡± Alice¡¯s amethyst-like eyes pierced through Parang. Overwhelmed by that deep gaze, Parang met Alice¡¯s eyes with slightly trembling pupils. Alice seemed somewhat angry. Was it because of Parang¡¯s question just now? Thinking she might have said something inappropriate to her friend in her urgency to ask, Parang hastily opened her mouth to smooth things over. But Alice was faster. ¡°The reason I can remain calm, Parang, is because I made a firm vow to never waver.¡± She spoke while meeting Parang¡¯s gaze with eyes that shone steadily. ¡°What defines you isn¡¯t the tentacle fragments inside your body, or the monster in your dreams, or that precious status window of yours, Parang. Only the path you¡¯ve walked and who you are can define your existence.¡± Parang¡¯s pupils trembled even more. ¡°The achievements you¡¯ve accomplished while living in this world alongside other living people. The adversaries you¡¯ve overcome. The bonds you¡¯ve formed and nurtured.¡± Alice¡¯s voice held not a trace of hesitation. Instead, it carried an absolute certainty about the meaning of existence. ¡°All of those things come together to make ¡®you.¡¯ Just because there¡¯s some monster inside your body doesn¡¯t invalidate the time you¡¯ve lived as a human being.¡± Her eyes shone brighter than any eyes Parang had ever seen. ¡°And the only one who can name you, the ¡®you¡¯ created by all those things coming together, is yourself alone. Declaring clearly who you are ¨C that¡¯s both your right that only you can exercise, and simultaneously your duty that you must never run away from. Do you understand?¡± After unleashing her words like a storm, Alice gazed at Parang with unwavering eyes. ¡°My right and¡­ duty¡­!¡± It felt like lightning was striking repeatedly inside Parang¡¯s head. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All the experiences Parang had lived through until now. The footprints that the existence called Parang had left in this world. Just as Alice said, what made up Parang wasn¡¯t a few fragments of text floating in a status window, but precisely those things. And the only one who could name the footprints left by her existence was Yu Parang herself, and no one else. ¡°And it¡¯s the same for us too. Neither I, nor anyone else in Oceanos, nor any of the other people who have cherished and loved you, will leave you just because of a few tentacles.¡± ?a?¨¯?§¦s ¡°¡­!¡± Parang¡¯s eyes widened once again. ¡°You said you have a skill that can verify the essence of existence, right? Well then.¡± Alice spread her arms wide and looked straight at Parang. ¡°Cast that skill on me. See what I appear as now.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, go ahead.¡± Parang swallowed hard and cast the skill toward Alice. ¡®[Mind¡¯s Eye]¡¯ Parang¡¯s vision inverted. The world was dyed entirely in green. Like viewing through an infrared camera. And there, Alice clearly existed in the form of a monster. While part of her upper body still maintained a human form, everything else had transformed into unidentifiable tentacles, eyeballs, and masses of flesh. It looked as if a human form had been forcibly stuffed into part of a monster. No one would think this was human. But those shining eyes in the remaining upper body. Eyes filled with certainty, convinced that no adversity in the world could stop her. Looking at that, Parang thought: If Alice wasn¡¯t human, who in this world could be called human? [Mind¡¯s Eye] deactivated, and Parang¡¯s vision returned to normal. ¡°How did I appear?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to say it. I¡¯m sure I looked horrible and grotesque. That¡¯s right. At this point in time, that¡¯s my essence. Part human, part eyeballs, part Kraken.¡± ¡°Alice¡­ such words¡­!¡± ¡°Listen until the end. What I want to say is this: After seeing my essence, did you want to abandon me and leave, calling me a monster?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Parang was struck speechless. She swore to the gods she had never thought such a thing. Not even a bit. And at the same time, she realized. Neither Alice, nor anyone in Oceanos, nor any friend she had made would think that way when looking at her. And so, after this storm-like conversation had passed. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Alice leaned back tiredly, while Parang wiped her face with her hands. Well, not exactly wiping since they were underwater. Parang straightened her posture and met Alice¡¯s eyes. Now she could finally see the nature of the light held within those eyes. It was certainty. The kind of certainty that only someone who had clearly defined their own existence could possess. An unwavering belief that mere doubts would not even qualify as obstacles on the path she walked. Looking into her friend¡¯s eyes and hearing her voice, Parang gained her own realization. Of course, the worries in her heart hadn¡¯t simply washed away like water in an instant. There was still, undeniably, a trace of hesitation remaining in Parang¡¯s heart. But Parang could make a promise to herself. Though this small hesitation remaining in her heart might hinder and get in her way, she would not let herself sink because of it. Even if someone were to dig into Parang¡¯s heart, drag out this hesitation, and thrust it before her eyes to block her path, she would gladly shed tears, endure the heartache, and utterly destroy them. Parang made up her mind and opened her eyes. In her own eyes, reflected in Alice¡¯s pupils, there was now a faint but distinct light. It was a cool, clear, blue light, like the summer sea. Alice must have seen that light too, for she continued their conversation with a slight smile. ¡°It seems you¡¯re ready for our final conversation of the day.¡± At those words, Parang looked at Alice with slightly widened eyes. ¡°Final conversation¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. About the essence of the Kraken. About what kind of relationship exists between you and the Kraken.¡± Parang lowered her head and looked at her palm. ¡°The essence¡­ of the Kraken.¡± She raised her head again to look at Alice. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m ready. Tell me.¡± ¡°Before hearing it from me, how about seeing it for yourself?¡± ¡°See it¡­ for myself?¡± ¡°Yes. Your skill, I mean. The one that sees through to the essence. Why don¡¯t you try using it on the Kraken? Then hearing my explanation afterward might be better.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Parang nodded slightly. Until now, she had never used Mind¡¯s Eye on the Kraken. She had been afraid of discovering her own twisted essence within it. Truth be told, she was still afraid. But the difference between then and now was that Parang now had courage. ¡°Someone once said that courage isn¡¯t about not being afraid, but about moving forward even while trembling.¡± Alice looked at Parang. ¡°Are you ready to move forward?¡± Parang met Alice¡¯s gaze and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± After summoning the Kraken, she activated her skill. ¡°Mind¡¯s Eye.¡± FLASH!! At that moment, Parang¡¯s vision went dark. # ¡°Ugh¡­ ungh¡­¡± Parang opened her eyes in an unfamiliar space. Just moments ago she had been talking with Alice in the red stone chamber, but now she was in a space that was entirely blue in all directions, with no distinction between front, back, left, or right. But it wasn¡¯t underwater. Rather, the texture of the space itself was closer to that space where she had met the dark Parang in her dream. And as she looked around, a familiar form appeared in the distance before her. It was the Kraken¡¯s tentacle. Parang approached it. The closer she got, the more clearly the Kraken¡¯s tentacle became visible. It was made up of countless tiny structures clustered together. Like cells, perhaps. The closer she got, the more detailed the Kraken became, but Parang¡¯s steps also grew increasingly slower. She wasn¡¯t intentionally reducing her speed. It was as if she were trying to force together the same poles of magnets, ¡°Unnngh¡­!!¡± But Parang gritted her teeth and pressed forward. Though her legs felt like they might burst, she didn¡¯t stop. And finally, when Parang reached right in front of the Kraken, her feet, which could no longer advance, came to a complete stop. At the same time, Parang could clearly see the Kraken¡¯s true form with her own eyes. The Kraken was made up of Yu Parang. Tens of thousands, billions, trillions of tiny Yu Parangs gathered together to form the Kraken. Beings with the same face and hair color as Parang, emanating the same aura, all looked at Parang with identical blue eyes. Being under the simultaneous gaze of countless people made Parang¡¯s heart feel like it might burst. It was pressure, it was fear, and at the same time, it was awe. At last, the countless Parangs opened their mouths and spoke with the same voice. That voice resonated simultaneously from in front of Parang, behind her, below her, above her, and from inside and outside. With the sensation of being thrown alone into a massive cave made of voices, Parang felt like she might go mad. ¡°Urk¡­ kuhak!!¡± Finally, unable to endure any longer, Parang¡¯s consciousness was forcibly ejected from that mysterious space. CRASH!! ¡°Hah¡­! Hah¡­! Ungh¡­¡± Parang gasped in shock at the sudden impact she felt on her body. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the space where she had been talking with Alice. It seemed she had been thrown backward from her sitting position and rolled on the floor. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Parang asked Alice before her: ¡°What did I just see¡­? Was that the Kraken¡¯s essence?¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°I saw the Kraken. It was¡­ It was made up of countless versions of me. I¡¯m not sure if they were really me or not, but it was like an infinite number of beings that looked exactly like me, all clustered together¡­¡± Parang rambled, unable to contain the thoughts flooding her mind. After helping Parang up from the floor, Alice held her shoulders and looked her in the eye. ¡°What you saw was correct, Parang. That is indeed the Kraken¡¯s essence.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°The Kraken is you, Parang. To be precise, it¡¯s every iteration of you.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Past, present, and future, all those countless iterations of you merged together into one massive collective consciousness and natural phenomenon. That is the Kraken¡¯s essence.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Parang barely managed to hold onto her fading consciousness. Chapter 111 Chapter 111¡°Every iteration of¡­ me.¡± ¡°Yes. You are the Kraken of every iteration. Remember how I said that whenever the world regresses, the Kraken recognizes your death and turns back time? As the Kraken turns back time, it detaches a new ¡®you¡¯ from itself and places it in the newly started world.¡± ¡°A new ¡®me¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Like¡­ well, I¡¯m not sure if I should say this, but¡­ like giving birth.¡± Parang¡¯s voice sank. ¡®I am¡­ the Kraken¡¯s¡­ daughter.¡¯ A being that comes into existence each time the world turns back. A being separated from an incomprehensible, unknown phenomenon. A being that both constitutes it and is constituted by it. ¡®Someone like me¡­¡¯ ¡°No.¡± Parang shook her head vigorously to clear her thoughts. Hadn¡¯t her friend just told her something like that? ¡®I am human. It doesn¡¯t matter what kind of being I am or where I came from. I will define myself as I want to. I won¡¯t let some mere tentacle fragments or status window dare to give me a name.¡¯ That¡¯s right. ¡®I am Yu Parang. A pure human being, living and breathing right here.¡¯ She steeled her resolve. Even if she truly originated from a monster, she had lived as a human, was living as a human, and would continue to live as a human. Therefore, she was not a monster but a human. Parang¡¯s eyes held a brilliant light. She looked at Alice with unwavering eyes, and Alice responded with a smile. ¡°This is why I suggested postponing our conversation earlier. To withstand the fierce waves that crash against you, you need a lighthouse to hold onto.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Alice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I should be thanking you for handling it so well.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Come to think of it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°About that being that appears in my dreams. What exactly is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Really. I truly don¡¯t know. Remember how I said I saw countless possible futures with the ability I got from the Kraken? Among them, there were futures where you asked me about the mysterious ¡®Dream Parang.¡¯ Around this very time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°And this possibility existed not just once, but in almost every future. This isn¡¯t something that could happen by mere chance. Either someone or something is maliciously trying to torment you, or it might be some kind of test given to you.¡± Parang nodded slowly. ¡°What could it be¡­? Is it really me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It could be like a demon within you. Perhaps a fantasy created from your trauma or fears, or¡­¡± Alice trailed off and looked at Parang. ¡°I really can¡¯t figure it out. But one thing¡¯s for certain: that being is definitely not beneficial to you. For now, it seems best to completely ignore it.¡± ¡°Yeah. I think so too.¡± After some time passed. ¡°Next time¡­ Well, thinking about it, it won¡¯t be easy to meet again.¡± ¡°Because of that eyeball¡¯s pursuit?¡± ¡°Yes. If I keep meeting with you and it discovers you, nothing good will come of it. But still¡­ It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t communicate at all. If you catch any Capulus in the ocean and show what you want to say to its eye, I¡¯ll send you a reply.¡± ¡°How will you send the reply?¡± ¡°I could send a Capulus with the reply engraved on it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more old-fashioned than I expected.¡± Alice scratched her head with an embarrassed laugh. ¡°Hahaha¡­ But what can I do when I can¡¯t think of any other way.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Parang looked at Alice with a peculiar expression and approached the waiting Capulus. ¡°Write often.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Then, thunk. When she touched the Capulus¡¯s eye, she felt herself being sucked in just like before. ¡°Hup¡­!!¡± Parang instinctively closed her eyes at the sensation that she still couldn¡¯t get used to. Whoosh-! When she opened her eyes, she was in the East Sea. Right in front of her house. The service was impeccable. With brighter eyes than when she had left, Parang gently rose toward the surface. And so, at two in the afternoon. She popped her head above the surface. From her conversation with Alice today, Parang had gained a lot. Though she had encountered many shocking facts and sometimes got headaches from the complex flow of conversation, there was one definite benefit. She had lifted a great weight from her heart. With lighter steps, she climbed up the dock¡¯s ladder, heaving herself up. Then she went straight to her gallery after entering her house. Sitting in front of the easel, she picked up her brush and began to sweep it across the canvas. In the quiet silence, only the sound of brush strokes against paper could be heard. ¡®Maybe I should try doing an art stream later?¡¯ She fell into contemplation, thinking about future broadcasts, her conversation with Alice. She pondered about existence, and even tonight¡¯s dinner menu. Three hours later, she finally put down her brush and stood up from her chair. ¡®I should order pizza.¡¯ With extra pepperoni. On the canvas was drawn the true form of the Kraken as she had seen it today. Hundreds of Yu Parangs lined up in perfect order, looking just like tentacles. And in the painting, Yu Parang was looking at the Kraken with a confident smile. It was a beautiful smile filled with determination to never back down again. That day, Parang had a bright day for the first time in a while. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like she had no worries at all. There were many great battles ahead, and even more trials that Parang would have to overcome. But what filled her heart was confidence and responsibility rather than worry. Right. What did it matter if she had a few tentacle fragments on her body? Parang went to bed early, comfortable and quick. Dreams could no longer frighten her now. Whether the being in her dreams knew this or not, it didn¡¯t even show its shadow that night. Thanks to that, Parang slept soundly until morning and woke up feeling refreshed. It was, quite literally, a miracle morning. # Meanwhile, in Alice¡¯s cave after Parang left. Alice sat cross-legged, quietly observing the Capulus that had just transported Parang. Behind her, from deep within the cave, a human figure silently emerged. Black hair with golden glowing eyes. It was Hunter Han Siwoo. Without turning around, Alice spoke to him. ¡°You could have at least seen her off. She was an old friend we haven¡¯t met in a while.¡± ¡°Every time I see you, I¡¯m amazed at your exceptional talent for ruining people¡¯s mood with your jokes.¡± ¡°Oh? Thanks for the compliment.¡± ¡°What are you going to do now? Originally, revealing the Kraken¡¯s true identity wasn¡¯t part of the plan.¡± ¡°That was ultimately meant to prepare Parang anyway. She seems to have taken it well, so I think it¡¯s fine. Actually, the future¡¯s direction has changed quite positively.¡± ¡°While that¡¯s fortunate, I hope you realize how dangerous the situation was.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll be more careful next time. I was just excited since it had been so long since I saw Parang in person.¡± ¡°Just in case, if you let emotions cloud your judgment and mess things up¡­¡± snicker ¡°¡®Letting emotions cloud judgment,¡¯ you say¡­¡± Alice¡¯s eyes suddenly turned fierce. ¡°It¡¯s laughable to hear those words from your mouth.¡± Her voice turned ice cold. Han Siwoo¡¯s mouth snapped shut immediately. Not because of the tone of Alice¡¯s words, but because of their content. He stood still in place, biting his lip. Alice lowered her voice even further and growled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I didn¡¯t offer to cooperate with you because I felt any fondness for you.¡± Her eyes were completely different from the bright ones she had shown Parang. ¡°If I could, I would have torn you apart and killed you right here and now.¡± Silence fell between them. Though neither looked at the other¡¯s face, their expressions were easy to imagine. ¡°¡­Is the plan progressing well?¡± Han Siwoo quietly changed the subject, and Alice also calmed herself. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s moving forward steadily in the right direction.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Parang about the Kraken¡¯s death?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing to gain from telling her. The fact that the Kraken is already dead and this is our last chance with that eyeball¡­ There¡¯s no need to tell her now. It would only be a burden to Parang.¡± ¡°¡­I see. If you say so, then that must be it.¡± Silence fell between them again. Alice, undisturbed by the frozen atmosphere, stood up from her chair and walked past Han Siwoo into the cave. ¡°You should prepare your last words. It would be quite ridiculous if you stumbled over your tongue in front of your old friend when you meet them for the first and last time.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± Standing where Alice had passed, Han Siwoo could only stare at the ground, his fists clenched tight enough to break. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter [NaN] Chapter [NaN]¡°Uuuuggghh¡­ ahhhhhh¡­.¡± Yu Parang wakes up. The clock shows eight in the morning. She had slept deeply without any dreams, getting a proper good night¡¯s rest. Parang turned off the alarm clock before it even rang, scratched her belly as she went to the kitchen, and heated up the leftover pizza from yesterday. She took a hearty bite of the warm pepperoni pizza after drizzling it with Tabasco. The subtle spicy aroma of Tabasco, savory cheese, and salty pepperoni combined to create a fantastic flavor. While eating pizza for breakfast might not be great for the stomach, Parang¡¯s philosophy was that it was incredibly good for mental health. Especially if it¡¯s leftover pizza from last night¡¯s dinner. Well, anyway. After arming herself to the teeth with morning pizza, Parang opened the door and stepped outside. Then splash into the ocean. She swam to Busan, then took a warp to Florida, USA. Of course, there¡¯s a warp station in Pohang too. But Parang takes this complicated route to avoid the world government¡¯s eyes. Now that she knows the government has completely lost it, she¡¯s strengthening her defenses even in daily activities. Today¡¯s meeting is with Silo Corporation. They agreed to meet to discuss the rising Monster Fish Layer and developments with the world government. From Parang¡¯s perspective, she needs to cross-reference Alice¡¯s information with Silo¡¯s regarding Yoo Sungjun¡¯s condition and the Monster Fish Layer rising ritual. And she needs to get a new bodysuit too. She broke the last one while playing with the submarine with Yuna. So, America, Florida. Unlike Korea where it¡¯s starting to get cold, Florida is warm all year round. As soon as she opened the automatic glass doors of the warp station, the hot humid air of the American South hit Parang like a wall. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Parang quickly reached to turn on the cooling function of the bodysuit under her suit¡­ then stopped. ¡°Ah.¡± Right, she broke it. With no choice but to fan herself with her clothes in the old-fashioned way to barely manage the heat, she got into the vehicle Silo Company had prepared. As soon as she got in the car ¨C AC, AC, AC! The cool breeze blasted away the heat completely. With her body now comfortably temperature-regulated, Parang stood in front of a downtown high-rise. ¡®Ugh, so hot¡­.¡¯ She hurried inside. As soon as she entered, a suited man who seemed quite high-ranking recognized her and guided her to the top floor. Why do big corporation executives always have their conversations on the top floor of tall buildings? Parang found herself somewhat curious about this. Soon, Parang boarded the elevator with its luxurious wooden interior paneling, pressed the top floor button, and started whooshing upward. A moment later, with a ding, the doors opened to reveal the top floor office. As she had felt when meeting Silo in Korea, these people had an exceptional talent for selecting interior design that somehow both did and didn¡¯t match. While in Korea they had made the office look like something out of a cyberpunk game that a mega-corporation executive would use, this time it felt like they had transplanted a 1910s Hawaiian resort. Floor-to-ceiling windows letting in Florida¡¯s sunset, with furniture like desks, chairs, and bookcases all made in rattan style, giving the impression of being in a bungalow. And to top it off, two glasses of Blue Hawaii lemon cocktails brazenly placed on the reception table. Parang made a slightly dumbfounded expression at the absurd scene. Then the high-ranking Silo official sitting at the desk stood up and greeted Parang in a friendly manner. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Then walking over smoothly to recline in a chair angled almost like a sun lounger, they took a sip of cocktail through a straw. ¡°It¡¯s non-alcoholic. You must have been hot, please have some.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­.¡± When Parang lay down on the adjacent sun lounger, it was so comfortable she could believe it had been custom-made for her. ¡°The comfort is quite nice, isn¡¯t it? This is my favorite office.¡± She picked up the cocktail with a dubious expression, but then set it back down without drinking. She wasn¡¯t particularly in the mood, and something felt a bit suspicious. While Silo was certainly a good partner, she wasn¡¯t close enough with them yet to just readily drink whatever they offered. Sure, Silo had protected Parang and worked on various projects together, but they were still a mega-corporation wanting to rule the world. It made her a bit uneasy. It felt like they must be hiding some kind of plan behind the scenes. That¡¯s why Parang rated her trust in Silo at about 75%. For reference, even that was giving them a lot of credit. Anyway, seeing Parang set down the cocktail, the Silo executive looked slightly dejected before handing her a USB drive. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a compilation of reports from our investigators who infiltrated the world government. There¡¯s something in there that attacks your mind through the screen, so please view it underwater.¡± ¡°It attacks your mind through the screen?¡± ¡°Yes. Currently, all the deputy minister-level and higher officials in the world government are not human. Horrific monsters that are beyond description are wearing human skin and pretending to be human.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­.¡± ¡°Most likely that¡­ eye monster, as you called it ¨C someone high up in the world government must have seen it through a screen. We suspect that person was Yoo Sungjun.¡± He took another sip of his cocktail. ¡°And according to that theory¡­ the current Yoo Sungjun is probably in a state similar to a host, or a hive mother. All the detailed information is in that USB, please take a look.¡± Parang held the USB and idly spun it once on her finger. ¡°I¡¯d love to play it right here and watch it together¡­ but unfortunately we can¡¯t bring an aquarium into the office. And I can¡¯t go underwater either.¡± ¡°Hmm. I understand.¡± After that, matters regarding the rising Monster Fish Layer and future countermeasures against the world government were conveyed to Parang. These were all things she already knew from exchanging numerous documents and files. Only some specific details had been finalized. ¡°So, our future course of action is as follows. Regarding both the rising Monster Fish Layer and the world government, we believe taking extreme measures would be best. We judge this will be far more beneficial for humanity¡¯s preservation.¡± Silo¡¯s plan was simple. To prepare for the Monster Fish Layer¡¯s rise, they would fortify all coastal strongholds worldwide. As for the world government, their goal would be the elimination of President Yoo Sungjun and complete government overthrow. Though radical and extreme, these were necessary countermeasures. Parang also agreed and nodded. ¡°However, we haven¡¯t yet decided which of the two should take priority.¡± ¡°Dealing with the Monster Fish Layer¡¯s rise should be the priority.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± It was then that Parang relayed to Silo what she had heard from Alice, appropriately edited. Excluding talk of the Kraken and Alice¡¯s true identity, she spoke only of the Monster Fish Layer¡¯s rise and Yoo Sungjun¡¯s death. The Silo executive¡¯s expression immediately turned serious upon hearing this. ¡°¡­Is this true? So the Monster Fish Layer will rise to match the current sea level, and the cause involves a ritual using Yoo Sungjun as a sacrifice?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Then addressing the Monster Fish Layer¡¯s rise must be our most urgent priority. The world government¡¯s overthrow can be dealt with later.¡± ¡°What? Deal with the Monster Fish Layer first?¡± Parang asked with a somewhat, no, very surprised expression. Of course, while addressing the Monster Fish Layer¡¯s rise was indeed the more urgent matter, she had expected Silo to choose the opposite. After all, that would be the shorter path to world domination. The Silo executive slowly nodded as if understanding Parang¡¯s question. ¡°I understand what you want to ask.¡± A bitter smile crossed his lips. ¡°It seems Hunter Yu Parang still misunderstands us. You see us as a somewhat suspicious partner with unknown motives seeking world domination.¡± ¡°No, suspicious isn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Well, I understand. Sometimes, even when one states their true intentions plainly, people suspect ulterior motives due to the messenger. In this world as it is now¡­ I think this is an inevitable problem that mega-corporations like us must face.¡± He took a deep sip of his cocktail. ¡°Of all organizations that exist in the world, even including those that don¡¯t exist, Silo possesses an overwhelming number of conspiracy theories about it. I know this. Looking at these conspiracy theories, I sometimes feel like I¡¯ve become a squinting character from a novel.¡± Silence filled the room. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I understand it¡¯s unavoidable. However, I don¡¯t want to be doubted even by our partner in achieving our ultimate goal. Hunter Yu Parang, Silo¡¯s highest priority has remained unchanged since our founding until this very moment. That is the protection and preservation of humanity.¡± The sunlight is strong. ¡°World domination is merely a means to that end. Never the goal itself. If we truly wanted to rule the world, we would have started wars worldwide as soon as the Hunters¡¯ Association fell.¡± Parang quietly listened to his words. ¡°The same applies to Hunter Yu Parang. We certainly know you¡¯re no ordinary being. The power you can unleash underwater is definitely not that of a normal human. However, our reason for supporting Hunter Yu Parang has nothing to do with that.¡± He sat up and gazed straight ahead. ¡°Simply put, we help because Hunter Yu Parang has the ability to save humanity and is actually walking that path. I stake everything Silo has on there being no other reason.¡± The eyes now turned directly toward Parang were emitting a light she had never seen before. Firm will, conviction, and steadfastness. As he said, Parang realized that all of Silo¡¯s actions had indeed been conducted under the single value of ensuring humanity¡¯s safety, never once deviating from that course. Yet the title of ¡®corporation large enough to dominate the world¡¯ had given the impression of having some hidden, unsavory agenda. But now, what about the look in this man¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Parang? There was sincerity in them. A genuine desire to build an honest partnership with Parang under the mission of protecting humanity. Overwhelmed by his intensity, Parang unconsciously took a sip of the cocktail beside the sun lounger. It was cool and refreshing, simply a delicious cocktail. Chapter 114 : The Indomitable Blacksmith Chapter 114 : The Indomitable Blacksmith¡°W-what, WHAT?!¡± Yuna blinked repeatedly with an expression of utter disbelief as she stared at the notification window that appeared before her eyes. [ Skill ¡®Indomitable Blacksmith(S)¡¯ has achieved its designated evolution conditions. ] Skill evolution. This ¡®phenomenon¡¯ is essentially the lottery ticket of hunters. It happens roughly once a month worldwide, but considering the global awakened population of 2 billion, that¡¯s an incredibly brutal probability. Among those, S-rank skill evolution has been reported exactly three times in history. The merits gained from skill evolution are naturally far more valuable than any lottery winnings. Because evolved skills have no penalties. If you imagine someone like Yu Parang summoning a Kraken outside of water, skill evolution In short, it¡¯s a life-changing opportunity that comes with odds of one in billions. Moreover, what appeared before Yuna¡¯s eyes was none other than an S-rank skill evolution message. It¡¯s no wonder she hastily withdrew the submarine. Emerging from the tank ten times faster than she went in, Yuna quickly stripped off her diving suit and headed to her bedroom. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Yuna closed her eyes as she placed her trembling hands over her even more trembling chest. ¡®Deep breaths. Deep breaths¡­¡¯ ¡°Phew, haaa¡­¡± Then she called up her status window again to check the message. [ Skill ¡®Indomitable Blacksmith(S)¡¯ has achieved its designated evolution conditions. ] This is absolutely real. Right now, Yuna¡¯s S-rank skill is about to begin its evolution. She opened the skill information window. [ Skill Information ] [ Indomitable Blacksmith(S) ] [ When applying options to equipment or artifacts, there is a 15% chance the target will be destroyed. ] [ Each time equipment or artifacts are destroyed during crafting, the power of options you apply permanently increases. The higher the grade of destroyed equipment, the higher the increase rate. Current power increase: 2412% ] [ The skill has met its evolution conditions. Evolution conditions will be revealed. ] [ Evolution condition: With an option power increase of 2000% or higher, defeat one of the designated monsters. Kill contribution must be 95% or higher, and the evolution path will vary depending on which monster is defeated. ] [ Monster List ] [ ????? ??? (Defeated) ] [ ?? ?? ???? ???? ] [ ?? ?? ??? ] ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Yuna read through the skill tooltip with intense concentration. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®It¡¯s already increased this much.¡¯ With a newfound feeling, she looked at the number 2412. This was obviously an astronomical figure. Whatever option was applied to equipment would be strengthened 24 times over. Looking at just the results, it was nothing short of a completely broken, overpowered skill. However, if one were to learn what process Yuna went through to reach this point, they could never call this skill ¡®unfair.¡¯ Yuna obtained this skill 8 years ago, when she was a C-rank hunter in her third year after awakening. She had destroyed at least 300 pieces of equipment since then. So to achieve the evolution condition of 2000%, she would need to destroy about 250 pieces of equipment. Naturally, this was already approaching the realm of impossibility. In this field, destroying just ten pieces of equipment would spread rumors to all the hunters in the area. And when such rumors spread? Requests would dry up immediately. The client needs to raise the option application efficiency enough to accept the 15% risk, but with low option application efficiency, there are no clients. It was the experienced worker¡¯s dilemma. Can¡¯t get hired without experience, can¡¯t get experience without getting hired. A skill that grows stronger the more you handle anvils and metal, ironically takes those very things away from the hunter. That¡¯s why hunters who obtain this skill typically choose to erase it with a conflicting skill scroll. However, Yuna¡¯s case was slightly different. It was because this S-rank skill, her first ever, was too precious to her. When equipment was destroyed, she would spend her own money to buy the same materials and return them to the client. Since it was guaranteed to operate at a loss even when selecting only the cheapest materials, Yuna worked side jobs like crazy. Her streaming activities began from this point. Yuna¡¯s crafting style also originated from this skill¡¯s characteristics. To prevent the catastrophe of carefully crafted equipment being destroyed all at once, Yuna chose a method of breaking down what she wanted to make into small units, applying the necessary options to each part, and then assembling them. While inefficient and not particularly aesthetically pleasing in the final product, it was a method that definitely reduced the risk of destruction. There were countless other ways this skill influenced Yuna. It would take all night to list them all. Being extremely sensitive to wasting materials due to memories of her rookie days, or having absolutely no fear of failure. In that sense, [Indomitable Blacksmith] was a skill that represented Yuna even better than her Personal Skill. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Yuna¡¯s life was contained within it. And having lived such a life, Yuna felt that this 2000% figure was a point that couldn¡¯t be reached unless one was quite insane. Moreover, hitting 2000% wasn¡¯t even the end of it. [ Monster List ] [ ????? ??? (Defeated) ] [ ?? ?? ???? ???? ] [ ?? ?? ??? ] One of these three must be defeated with at least 95% contribution. Ah, by the way, the monster names are displayed correctly. Since names like Orc, Goblin, or Galecus are all human-given names, it¡¯s natural that the status window calls them something completely different. According to official findings from academia, it¡¯s a language that doesn¡¯t exist on Earth. They don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s pronounceable, let alone translatable. The one marked ¡®Defeated¡¯ would be the golden stingray that Yuna just took down. Though uncertain of the other two¡¯s identities, they¡¯re surely beings with similar capture difficulty to that 20-meter fish buried in the monster-infested deep sea. Moreover, these insane conditions were hidden until they were achieved. No wonder there have only been three cases of S-rank skill evolution in history. No, it¡¯s rather surprising there were even three. Yuna held her racing heart and operated the status window. ¡°Skill Evolution Menu.¡± [ Skill Evolution Menu ] [ ¡®Indomitable Blacksmith(S)¡¯ has met the conditions and is ready to evolve into ¡®Serene Forging Deity(S+)¡¯ ] [ Skill Preview ] [ Serene Forging Deity(S+) ] [ When applying options to equipment or artifacts, there is a 15% chance to select and apply an additional special option. All options you apply are adjusted to 20 times their effect. ] [ When crafting equipment underwater, special options can be applied with 100% probability, and all options you apply are adjusted to 35 times their effect. ] ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Yuna took a deep breath and spoke with a resolute voice. ¡°Skill Evolution.¡± KWAAAAAANG-!!! With that, blue aura burst forth like a storm from Yuna¡¯s entire body. Massive waves violently wrapped around Yuna, surging as if about to tear apart all the surrounding space. However, Yuna, at the center of it all, was feeling something far removed from destruction. The sensation of something solid and cool filling her body. An tremendous sense of refreshment and comfort washed over her. It felt like leisurely floating in the midst of a raging current. But. ¡®Something¡¯s missing.¡¯ The rushing current flowing into Yuna¡¯s body wasn¡¯t completely filling her. Like river water, it merely passed through Yuna. It felt like being a bottomless jar. Yuna was anxious. She wanted to somehow grasp this refreshing sensation that was merely flowing through her. But you can¡¯t stop a river with your palms. Contrary to Yuna¡¯s wishes, the sensation of something flowing away only intensified. Yuna concentrated. A bottomless jar, huh. It was amusing that she would feel this now of all times. Hadn¡¯t she always lived like a bottomless jar? If she had to name one thing lacking in her life, it would undoubtedly be peace of mind. At that moment, an image appeared in Yuna¡¯s mind. The azure sea. Gentle classical music. And in the midst of it all, a woman with long, beautiful blue hair, lying there in perfect serenity. In Yuna¡¯s mind, the word ¡®peace¡¯ remained as such an image. ¡°Really now. How many times am I going to receive help?¡± Yuna smiled slightly and lay back comfortably. The cool water supported her body. Though she could still feel the energy draining away, she didn¡¯t mind. The water flowed, and she flowed with it. In the rushing current, she became the sea, and the sea became her. What does it matter, this way or that? Only then did Yuna understand the essence of this energy. Serene. At peace and at ease, without any worries or concerns. When the calm and beautiful sea already filled her heart, why seek to fill it with anything more? How does one fill a bottomless jar? The answer to the riddle was deceptively simple. Throw the jar into the sea. When Yuna opened her eyes again, she could finally confirm that the solid and cool energy she had felt earlier now completely filled her body. The room maintained exactly the same state as before, even after experiencing such chaos. As if nothing had happened at all. Yuna lay quietly on the bed, looking at the window beside her. Her once golden eyes had turned blue. Inside them, like a whirlpool, blue waves were swirling in circles. Chapter 115 : Fight League Chapter 115 : Fight LeagueA week after returning from Florida. Brrrrr!! Brrrrrrrr!!! ¡°Huh!¡± Startled by the violent vibration, Parang, who had been sleeping soundly with his head on the desk, suddenly jumped up. Current time, 9 AM. Parang squinted at the sunlight that was slowly filtering through the window gap. ¡°Ughhhh¡­¡± While Parang was someone who would give up everything else but never compromise on a comfortable, refreshing sleep, today he had fallen asleep hunched over his desk only to be startled awake by the phone¡¯s ringtone. An A4 paper that had been clinging to his baby-soft, bouncy skin showing off its presence suddenly wobbled and dropped onto the desk with a plop. Looking at what kind of paper it was, it turned out to be a profile document containing information about a certain crafting hunter. < Andrea Mobilai > S-rank ¨C Native of port city (Lisbon) ¨C Yu Parang broadcast viewer ¨C Smoker ¨C Portuguese Navy service experience The desk was cluttered with dozens of documents containing information about crafting hunters from around the world who were connected to either the sea or Yu Parang. Last night, Parang had fallen asleep while reviewing dozens of candidates to choose a crafting hunter who would make their equipment. Having to compare and contrast dozens of people and reach out to contact them when necessary, the workload was no joke. One of the concerns that had been occupying a corner of Parang¡¯s heart lately was precisely this matter of the crafting hunter. Finding a blacksmith who could forge weapons for warriors destined to protect Earth against mysterious divine beings wasn¡¯t something that could be done overnight. It wasn¡¯t something that could be chosen carelessly, nor should it be. Anyway, Parang looked at his phone screen with a dazed, half-asleep expression. It was a call from Shin Yuna. ¡°Nnnngh¡­¡± Among the candidates Parang had been reviewing, Yuna was naturally included. In fact, she had been quite a strong candidate. After all, Shin Yuna was a proper S-rank crafting hunter. Moreover, she ranked among the upper echelons of S-rank hunters. Plus, she was close with Parang. Having a thoroughly trustworthy comrade in life-or-death battles was truly precious. However, Oceanos, Parang, and Silo¡¯s evaluation of Yuna had stopped at ¡°She¡¯s good, but¡­¡± This was because Yuna lacked something ¡®specialized for the sea.¡¯ Sure, she had waterproof sanity and could even make and operate a submarine by herself, but that didn¡¯t affect her crafting abilities as a hunter. Let¡¯s look at Andrea Mobilai, who just had the honor of sticking to Parang¡¯s cheek. He had accumulated tremendous sea-related crafting abilities during his lifetime as a blacksmith in the port city of Lisbon. He could be called a quintessential man of the sea, with excellent expertise in crafting ship cannons and harpoons for sailors. Naturally, when it came to making weapons for underwater use, he showed an incomparable gap compared to Shin Yuna. Plus, he was also a viewer of Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast. When comparing Yuna purely in terms of abilities with someone like that, Yuna¡¯s shortcomings became apparent. Anyway, Parang answered the incoming call. She might not be a fellow warrior, but a friend was still a friend. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me! Oh my. What¡¯s wrong with your voice? Sounds like you haven¡¯t slept for at least four days.¡± ¡°Ah, well, there¡¯s something. Been busy lately¡­ yaaawn¡­¡± ¡°I see. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you with this call.¡± ¡°No, not really. It¡¯s not a disturbance. So, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Yeah. Could we meet sometime soon? I have something urgent to tell you. As soon as possible.¡± Parang tilted his head. It was the first time Yuna had called him out like this. Well, the blacksmith issue wasn¡¯t urgent anyway, and he was curious about what could make Yuna speak so urgently. Above all, Parang himself needed a bit of refreshment too. Parang gladly accepted her proposal. ¡°Sure. Then at lunchtime, at the cafe in front of your house¡­ No, let¡¯s just meet at your house.¡± Parang had started to suggest meeting at a cafe as usual but decided to go to Yuna¡¯s house instead. It was close by, and meeting Yuna in a public place like a cafe seemed a bit risky. Of course, he had ¡®Departure¡¯ which could deploy a sea field anywhere anytime, but there was no harm in being careful. Given that they knew the government had become a madhouse completely consumed by monsters, this level of caution was reasonable. Yuna was slightly surprised but soon agreed to Parang¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Right. It might be better to talk while seeing it directly at my house. Then let¡¯s meet at my place.¡± ¡°Huh? See what directly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret. Oh, and by the way.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You know your acquaintances? You know, that professor who broadcasted with you last time, and that person who keeps getting bigger.¡± ¡°Yeah. What about them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the friends you told me about before, right? Those six people who work at sea.¡± ¡®Those six people who work at sea¡¯ obviously referred to Oceanos, including Alice Melville. Parang felt a bit flustered when Oceanos was suddenly brought up. Whether aware of this or not, Yuna continued speaking through the phone. ¡°Would it be possible to meet all of them together?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At those words, Parang made a slightly troubled expression. As everyone knew, Oceanos was currently scouring the world¡¯s oceans, handling work of similar intensity to Parang¡¯s. Given their continued forced marches, gathering them all simultaneously in Korea was a somewhat awkward matter from Parang¡¯s perspective. ¡°That might be a bit difficult. Everyone¡¯s too busy these days.¡± ¡°Really? I really wanted to meet everyone together.¡± ¡°What exactly is this urgent matter? If it¡¯s truly urgent and important, I could try to arrange something.¡± At Parang¡¯s words, Yuna hesitated for a moment before reluctantly revealing the whole story. ¡°So, what happened was¡­¡± After hearing the situation from Yuna, Parang said: ¡°Let¡¯s meet tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°Huh?! That soon? Isn¡¯t that too rushed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll bring everyone to your house tomorrow afternoon.¡± Immediately after finishing the call with Yuna, he sent a message to the Oceanos group chat. Yu Parang: Tomorrow 1 PM Yu Parang: Gather in Pohang Yu Parang: Urgent Elvira: What¡¯s up Xiao: I¡¯m busy that day Vertea: Tomorrow is a bit¡­ Yu Parang: Found a blacksmith Vertea: Tell us more details Xiao: Who is it Elvira: I¡¯ll be there And so, at 1 PM the next day. Parang and all members of Oceanos gathered at Yuna¡¯s house. Her house was an entire four-story building located 200m from Parang¡¯s house. In the middle of a rural village where 99% of houses had kimchi jars in their yards and raised Jindo dogs, the sudden appearance of a four-story building made for quite an peculiar sight. Since the building had no yard or fence, the village elders didn¡¯t even realize it was a house at first. Parang¡¯s next-door grandfather had knocked on the door thinking it was a hospital, only to leave with an embarrassed face. On the fourth floor of that building, Yuna¡¯s personal workshop. The six members of Oceanos including Parang and Shin Yuna sat around a square-shaped sofa. With everyone¡¯s attention focused on Yuna, she placed a large, elongated black case on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll open it.¡± When Yuna opened the large case, inside were four slightly different-looking rifles. The rifles, made of white wood with dark blue highlights, were neatly arranged in a row inside the case, surrounded by a mysterious blue aura that grew stronger from left to right. Yuna pointed to each one and explained. The first rifle emitted such a faint aura that it was barely visible unless you concentrated. ¡°This one on the far left was made entirely outside of water.¡± The two rifles next to it had clearly visible auras in the shape of water streams that could be seen with the naked eye. ¡°The next one was rough-worked outside water and only final assembly was done underwater, and this one was the opposite ¨C rough-worked underwater and final assembly done outside.¡± ¡°The one finished underwater definitely has stronger coloring.¡± Diego examined the rifle carefully. The last one was the rifle with the strongest coloring, with water streams so distinctly visible they emitted a mystical radiance, flowing around the barrel and trigger. ¡°Finally, this one was made entirely underwater.¡± Elvira skillfully examined the rifle from various angles, scrutinizing its craftsmanship. ¡°This is incredible. It¡¯s naturally far superior to mass-produced items used by civilians or government, and even compared to the highest quality items used by top hunters, this is far better.¡± In front of her eyes, a window appeared showing the options granted to the rifle. [ Rifle of Tranquility ] [ Classification: Artifact ] [ Grade: Divine Item ] [ A hunting rifle containing the power of the Serene. When pulling the trigger touched by the Forging God¡¯s hand, the user can obtain peace as calm as the sea. ] [ Granted Options ] [ General ] [ Penetration: Dramatically increases the penetrating power of fired bullets. (Enhanced 35x by ¡®Serene Forging Deity¡¯ effect) ] [ Aim Correction: Corrects bullet trajectory to increase the chance of inflicting critical wounds. (Enhanced 35x by ¡®Serene Forging Deity¡¯ effect) ] [ More (8 options hidden) ] [ Special ] [ Underwater Combat Specialization: Can fire underwater. Can absorb surrounding water to use as ammunition. ] ¡°This is insane.¡± Elvira¡¯s assessment was quite appropriate. As she said, Shin Yuna¡¯s crafting ability was at an insane level. Parang looked with fresh eyes at Yuna, who now had blue eyes like his own. It was obvious that a hunter with this level of crafting ability and underwater compatibility couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else in the world. Yuna was smiling brightly, saying she wanted to custom-make and gift good equipment to Parang and his friends. Parang pondered for a moment at that sight. Was it right to drag someone with such a bright smile into such a terrifying fight? Meeting someone face-to-face who was living and breathing before you was quite different from seeing an expressionless photo and a few words in documents. But Parang soon shook his head. To protect that very clarity and happiness that Yuna possessed, Parang had to bring her in. Having quickly made his decision, Parang spoke to Yuna with a serious expression. ¡°Yuna.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡± From Parang¡¯s mouth came words that Yuna could never have imagined. The death of the Slayers, Silo and the World Government, and the Hunter Association. The bizarre divine beings beneath the sea, and the massive battle to come. The truth about the world was something he hadn¡¯t told yet. Though Yuna looked bewildered at Parang¡¯s sudden revelation, she listened to her words with a serious expression. ¡°So, I need your help.¡± Parang concluded simply and clearly. It was like a prepared script, meant to be told to people who would become partners. It was work that involved fighting monsters that could drive you mad just by looking at them. The government that ruled the world might try to kill you. Giving people a choice in participating in such matters was, in a way, only natural. Parang and Oceanos watched Yuna with tense expressions. And Yuna, making their tension seem unnecessary, readily accepted it. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± The answer came so quickly and lightly that Parang almost asked her if she was serious. But Parang realized when he saw Yuna¡¯s blue eyes. That she was more sincere than anyone right now. Parang reached out toward Yuna, offering a handshake. The handshake they had shared facing each other at the dock on the day he saved Yuna flashed through Parang¡¯s mind. Then and now, Yuna¡¯s hand remained unchanged. ¡°Looking forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Oceanos, blacksmith recruitment complete. ¡°So, where were we?¡± Breaking the touching moment, Elvira barged in. She was in a strangely excited state. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Elvira was a firepower maniac after all. From the start, her skills were specialized in summoning and detonating naval mines, so she lost her mind at the sight of explosions, bombs, steel, and artillery. And Shin Yuna¡¯s house was overflowing with bombs, artillery, and steel. Elvira had been in an excited state from the moment she first entered Shin Yuna¡¯s house. ¡°Ah, we were saying that to make custom weapons for each person, I need to see everyone¡¯s combat style.¡± So it wasn¡¯t much of a coincidence when Elvira¡¯s eyes flashed and she dropped an unexpected bombshell at Shin Yuna¡¯s words. ¡°Seeing combat styles is simple. We don¡¯t need to go to the Hive to beat up monsters.¡± ¡°What? Then what do we do?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Elvira looked around at Oceanos and Parang with gleaming red eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s have a match after so long, you punks.¡± ¡®Ah, she¡¯s getting worked up again.¡¯ Parang looked at Elvira with cold eyes. Chapter 116 : Fight League Chapter 116 : Fight LeagueEver since humanity first set foot on Earth, we¡¯ve been able to see rankings being established in every time and place on this small blue sphere floating in space. It was no different in the oceans of the early 21st century, thanks to these six currently growling at each other while sitting around the sofa. While having a hierarchy among friends isn¡¯t exactly ideal, the less ideal things are in this world, the more interesting they tend to be. Parang and friends had long since realized this fact, so they never hesitated to determine who among them was stronger, faster, and more agile. Thus, their regular gatherings to duke it out became something of an annual tradition. Well, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re actual battle maniacs. There are some practical benefits too. If you¡¯re wondering in what way, it¡¯s obviously for training purposes. To train properly, you naturally need to fight against opponents who are either equal to or stronger than yourself. Or at the very least, spar with someone who has good endurance. That¡¯s how you can refine your techniques or develop new combination moves. The problem is, to find a sea creature that can withstand Oceanos¡¯s serious punch at that level, you¡¯d have to search all the world¡¯s oceans. When everyone explodes with just one skill hit, there¡¯s hardly any training value in that. In that sense, exchanging martial arts knowledge with each other is tremendously helpful. Ah, of course. This is just the reason Vertea tacked on later. It¡¯s not that they started fighting because it was good training; rather, they fought first and then realized the training benefits were a nice bonus. So even if Yuna hadn¡¯t gotten involved, they probably would have had an exciting match among themselves at some point. However, that¡¯s not to say Yuna¡¯s presence had no impact on these fights. Her addition brought one major new variable. That was ¡®broadcasting.¡¯ Six ocean bigshots on par with Yu Parang going at it with each other. Yuna, catching the scent of dopamine about to explode, proposed live streaming. Whether or not they¡¯d be good at broadcasting wasn¡¯t important. It¡¯s not like they needed to deliver lines while fighting ¨C they just needed to show off their spectacular combat. And based on Yuna¡¯s assessment after meeting Parang, Diego, and Vertea, there was no way a fight between them wouldn¡¯t be spectacular. At first, Oceanos was somewhat reluctant. Besides the issue of exposing their capabilities, well, you know how it is. It¡¯s like if you and your friends are sitting in a restaurant having your usual silly conversations, and someone says it¡¯s so entertaining they want to livestream it on the internet. This isn¡¯t exactly an easy proposal to accept unless you¡¯ve got some seriously thick skin. But the reluctance was short-lived, and soon everyone agreed to the proposal. Exposing their capabilities was meaningless to begin with. Let¡¯s say hostile forces learned how Oceanos fights underwater. Could they then defeat Oceanos in underwater combat? Obviously not. The embarrassment issue was easily resolved by Elvira, whose eyes had gone wild. ¡°I mean, no matter what, broadcasting ourselves fighting each other might be a bit¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Why, Parang? Are you scared?¡± ¡°Turn on the camera.¡± And thus, live broadcast! Through Yuna¡¯s account, twenty times more viewers than usual flooded in. All of them were members of Yu Parang¡¯s Darkness and Light. What they saw upon entering the broadcast was a massive underwater colosseum. Inside the huge spherical object were the Oceanos Six and Sin Yuna. In the center of the sphere was a vast empty space prepared for dueling, and the commentary booth seats made of bone by Xiao stood prominently in a position overlooking the entire arena. Unusually, Sin Yuna had entered the water directly without using a submarine, for the sake of maintaining the broadcast¡¯s sense of immediacy. The submarine was placed beside her, ready to serve as filming equipment. As for safety concerns, well, with all of Oceanos present, what was there to worry about? At this moment, there probably wasn¡¯t a safer place on Earth. The viewers¡¯ reactions were naturally enthusiastic. ©¤Parang you bastard, do I have to see you here?? Aren¡¯t you starting the broadcast? ©¤Wow it¡¯s Professor Kyo! ©¤The 500m guy¡¯s presence is insane lol Even without growing huge he looks about 2m tall ©¤Can we see the channel owner battle today? ©¤Let¡¯s go~ Let¡¯s go~ Let¡¯s go~ However, they couldn¡¯t see Yu Parang¡¯s long-awaited battle scenes from the start. This was because Elvira, whose eyes had gone wild at the prospect of a power battle after so long, had begged and pleaded to go first. The opponent she chose was, Russell Bright. Parang and the rest of Oceanos took on commentary roles, while Sin Yuna sat in the caster¡¯s seat. The two took their positions in the center of the sphere, facing each other. ¡°Shall we start without wasting time?¡± Elvira emanated waves of fierce energy. Her red eyes glowed ominously as similarly red energy waves burst forth violently. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so confident when you¡¯re going to lose anyway.¡± Russell removed his sunglasses, revealing golden eyes. Golden tattoos appeared across his entire body as brilliant light spread in all directions. Gills sprouted on his nape, while a tail and dorsal fins grew from his back and waist. Their auras, as they faced each other in the center of the sphere, were so powerful that the bursting energy split the arena perfectly in half, staining each side in different colors. The viewers could only be shocked at the sight. ©¤Holy shit what are they ©¤Whoa this is insane, got chills To be honest, the viewers hadn¡¯t been expecting their duel to be quite this dramatic. This was because of their self-introductions before the battle began. Let¡¯s listen to the self-introductions they gave, being unfamiliar with the camera. ¡°Elvira Petrov. My personal skill is ¡®Red Wave¡¯, and I¡¯m good with explosives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Russell Bright. I have ¡®Critical Bite¡¯, and um¡­ I can turn into a shark.¡± This was like Michael Jackson appearing in a mask and saying ¡°My name is Michael. I like to dance.¡± Naturally, expectations for the performance were bound to be completely shattered. The only reason expectations hadn¡¯t completely disappeared was because of Parang¡¯s reputation, and what Diego and Vertea had shown so far. But the sight of these two now facing each other and emanating tremendous pressure was something that could never be expressed by simple phrases like ¡°good with explosives¡± or ¡°can turn into a shark.¡± ©¤Whoa holy shit this is insane ©¤They introduced themselves like THAT after having this much power???? ©¤???: Hello, I¡¯m a B-rank hunter who operates underwater.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ©¤Gasp ©¤LOL gasp ©¤How dare you say that about the channel owner ¡°What¡¯s the head-to-head record between these two?¡± ¡°Ah, they¡¯ve fought six times so far, and they¡¯ve all been draws.¡± Yuna threw out a well-timed question, and Vertea caught it smoothly. ¡°What?! All draws after six matches? It must be quite evenly matched to achieve that.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s part of it, but their fighting styles are both incredibly crude. Even when it seems even, as soon as the fight drags on a bit, they both go all out against each other. When the fights end, they¡¯re always both knocked out. Though each claims they knocked the other out first¡­¡± To the side, Xiao sat cross-legged, looking contemptuously at the two glaring at each other in the arena. Her voice carried a hint of disdain. When the broadcast showed the barefoot beauty sitting cross-legged with a contemptuous expression, the chat naturally exploded. ©¤Holy shiiit ©¤KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA ©¤These beasts are something else AWOOOOOO GRRR WOOF WOOF ¡®Why do they enjoy showing contempt so much, just like last time¡­¡¯ Parang¡¯s eternal question only grew. Well, anyway. Amidst the exploding dopamine, the battle began. KWAAAANG-!!! Surprisingly, it was Elvira who opened the battle, launching forward with the sound of cannon fire. Strictly speaking, there was no type advantage between Russell and Elvira. One style involved rushing the opponent with countless explosives to blow them up, while the other involved rushing in with incredible agility to bite the opponent up close. It was a battle of whether Russell could reach Elvira before she could blow him up, or whether Elvira could blow Russell up before he could reach her. From this perspective, Elvira charging at Russell first was practically like forfeiting the battle. However, as soon as the battle began, Elvira summoned and detonated a mine behind herself. She was using the explosive force to quickly approach Russell. ¡°Whoa!! That, that!! Isn¡¯t that completely outside common sense?!¡± Yuna threw out the question in a voice half exaggerated, half serious, as she watched this outrageous tactic. The chat also reacted with disbelief at this beyond-common-sense tactic. ©¤Whoa why is she getting close ©¤She¡¯s crazy lololol ©¤I knew it when she said she handles explosives, she¡¯s just insane ©¤Well, she must have some plan Well, as the last chat message said, Elvira did have something in mind. Good lord, in a battle where the title of ¡®I¡¯m stronger than you¡¯ was at stake, there was no way Elvira would act to lose. Oceanos knew this too, so they simply told Yuna and the viewers calmly. ¡°Keep watching. You¡¯ll see why she¡¯s doing this.¡± And Russell, also knowing why Elvira was charging at him, didn¡¯t meet her head-on but sharply changed direction upward to escape her trajectory. And right after Russell escaped Elvira¡¯s path. KWAAAANG!!!! KWARRRNG!!!!! PUBUBUBUBUBUBUNG!!!!! KWAAANG!! KWANG!! KWAAANG!! KWANG!!! KWAAANG!!!!! From Elvira¡¯s starting point to her destination, what looked like thousands of explosions occurred in a straight line one after another. At this terrifying explosion that seemed completely unhinged, Sin Yuna¡¯s jaw nearly hit the floor. ¡°Wh-what was that!!! That explosion just now!! What in the¡­!!!!¡± ©¤What the hell lololololololol ©¤How can that sound even exist underwater ©¤That firepower isn¡¯t even human anymore ©¤Told you she¡¯s crazy¡­ In that moment, both Yuna and the viewers watching the broadcast could all feel it. That today, one legendary video ¨C no, perhaps quite a few ¨C would be born. Chapter 117 : Fight League Chapter 117 : Fight League[Red Wave (S)] [When the entire body is not submerged in water, all equipment, artifacts, and skills of grade B or higher cannot be used.] [Can generate desired types of explosives that can be freely detonated/disarmed within a 200m radius. Regardless of explosive type, the firepower is fixed, and detonation time increases the further from the caster the explosion occurs.] This is Elvira¡¯s skill. At first glance, it¡¯s clearly a defense-oriented skill. In other words, it¡¯s a skill meant to cover the surroundings with obstacles and wait for prey to fall into the trap. Elvira also initially used the skill in this way. Naturally, when setting up obstacles, the most important thing is to ensure the opponent cannot avoid them. Elvira had been pondering this problem for a long time. The mines she creates and detonates are all powerful, but they had a critical weakness. They were too easy for opponents to see and avoid. While eyeless or low-intelligence monsters fell easily to Elvira¡¯s attacks, agile and intelligent monsters had the ability to dodge her mines and escape her encirclement. It¡¯s because of the unique combat environment of the ¡®sea.¡¯ Unlike movement on land, which is limited to jumping and maybe some wire-shooting on buildings, the sea offers countless possibilities for maneuvers. In underwater combat, one can choose any direction ¨C up, down, left, right, forward, or backward ¨C to find an escape route. So no matter how powerful Elvira¡¯s firepower might be, it was practically impossible to fully direct that power at a single target. Torpedoes and guided mines were equally useless. While she could freely detonate and disarm explosives, launching them was a separate issue. Though combining with other skills made launching possible, it consumed far too much stamina. Moreover, crucially, the strategy of laying countless mines and waiting for opponents to come didn¡¯t suit Elvira¡¯s personality. So, after much consideration, Elvira came up with one solution. ¡®In the end, all I need is the result of ¡°ramming a huge mine into a monster and detonating it,¡± right?¡¯ From that audacious shift in thinking, Elvira¡¯s research eventually reached this point. What¡¯s the best way to make obstacles difficult to avoid? Make them bigger? Make them appear suddenly? Arrange them densely so the opponent can¡¯t escape? All good methods, but not the best. Anyone who has played bullet hell games would easily know the answer. The surest way to prevent opponents from avoiding obstacles is to make the obstacles move. And in the most infuriating patterns possible. Among all the bombs Elvira could create, none could move faster than herself. Among all the bombs Elvira could create, none could move more precisely than herself. She decided to become a ¡®moving bomb¡¯ herself. And not just any bomb ¨C a super-smart bomb that moves incredibly fast and homes in on enemies. Elvira possesses no attack skills other than her personal skill. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All her skills are for high-speed movement. ©¤She really does seem crazy ©¤Wait, is that even possible??? ¡°You¡¯ll see whether it¡¯s possible or not.¡± [Activating skill ¡®Advance Payment (S)¡¯. Ignores the penalty of the next A-rank or lower skill used, but applies a 4-hour cooldown to that skill.] [Activating skill ¡®Charge Stance (B)¡¯. Cannot move for 10 seconds. Movement speed greatly increases for 3 minutes.] [¡®Charge Stance¡¯ penalty ignored.] [Movement speed greatly increased, duration: 3 minutes] ¡°HYAAAAAAAH!!!!¡± Next to Elvira¡¯s body as she charged at terrifying speed, mines of tremendous power were being generated and detonated dozens at a time every second. Wrapped in explosions and transforming herself into one massive spear, Elvira¡¯s appearance truly resembled her namesake ¨C a red wave. The explosion was so massive that Yuna¡¯s submarine, far from the scene, nearly got blown away by the aftershock. Though its owner, Yuna, was too excited by the scene before her to even notice. ¡°Ah!!! This is insane!! What, what are all these explosions?! Is this even possible underwater?!¡± Given Yuna¡¯s personality of being obsessed with firepower and steampunk, her reaction wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Russell, despite his fierce presence after transforming into a shark, was desperately trying to avoid Elvira¡¯s charging trajectory. When Russell narrowly dodged the incoming runaway train, Elvira would bend her trajectory in a way that almost defied physics and charge at him again. Moreover, the explosions weren¡¯t occurring only around Elvira. ¡°Urgh!!¡± BOOOOOM!!! Behind Russell, who had barely dodged Elvira¡¯s charge, a mine exploded with a tremendous blast. Elvira had predicted Russell¡¯s evasive path and detonated the mine with precise timing. ©¤Come on Shark-bro, pull yourself together! ©¤I don¡¯t think even Shark-bro¡¯s grandfather could help in this situation ©¤Wait, how does this even end in a draw? Naturally, Russell¡¯s posture was greatly disrupted, and Elvira didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. Elvira instantly stopped detonating mines and used the minefield around her as cover to slip into Russell¡¯s blind spot. Russell hurriedly tried to guard his surroundings, but the golden moment had already passed. WHOOSH!! ¡°What¡­!!¡± Elvira suddenly emerged from below, confidently grabbing Russell by the collar. ¡°Checkmate.¡± KABOOOOM!! BANG!! BOOM!!! BANG!!! With explosions that shook the entire space, Elvira¡¯s maximum firepower was concentrated on Russell. ¡°Wait a minute!! This is insane!! Stop!! STOP!!!!!!¡± Yuna screamed for the fight to stop, almost having a fit as she tried to rush forward. Her reaction wasn¡¯t particularly strange. All the viewers watching the scene had the same thought. ¡®That¡¯s crazy, that¡¯s literally a killing move.¡¯ No matter how you looked at it, it seemed impossible to survive such a devastating explosion. Well, since they apparently sparred often, it probably wouldn¡¯t be fatal, but it still seemed impossible to avoid serious injury. However, someone grabbed Yuna¡¯s arm from behind as she tried to rush forward. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close. You¡¯ll get caught up in it. Besides, they won¡¯t die.¡± It was Xiao, maintaining the same expressionless face as before. Yuna barely managed to calm her wildly beating heart and stared at Xiao with bewildered eyes. And she could see the expressions of not just Xiao, but all of Oceanos¡¯s members. Their expressions were completely calm, showing no signs of worry or concern. ¡°Looks like Elvira messed up her power control this time.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe she got nervous being on camera. The explosions were too weak.¡± Parang and Vertea were even having a casual conversation. As Yuna stared at them with a dumbfounded expression, Xiao made her sit back down in the bone-made chair. ¡°Just watch for now. The fun part is coming up.¡± ©¤Am I the only one who can¡¯t follow this conversation? ©¤I only understood up to the self-introductions earlier ©¤This guy¡¯s comprehension is insane;; Though Yuna and the viewers couldn¡¯t understand what Xiao meant, they held their breath and watched the battle situation since something was apparently about to happen. The explosions were still continuing. Thousands of mines kept exploding, creating a scene like a massive fireworks display. ¡°How long has it been?¡± At Vertea¡¯s question, Parang looked at the watch attached to his suit. ¡°28 seconds.¡± ¡°Almost time.¡± Tick, tick. The second hand moved twice more, and just as they predicted, something unexpected happened. ¡°Argh!! This disgusting bastard, seriously!!!¡± Elvira shouted as she hastily escaped from the continuing explosions. The explosions suddenly subsided, and instead, something much larger and different burst forth from the center. It was a brilliantly shining golden energy wave. ©¤????? ©¤No way, shark boss wtf ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? That it would be interesting.¡± Finally, the viewers could clearly see what was at the center of this new explosion. ¡°He¡¯s got a rather unique constitution.¡± It was Russell, grinning despite parts of his body being blown apart. There wasn¡¯t a single uninjured spot on his body. His left arm and both legs had been completely blown off and disappeared somewhere, and his body was covered in massive wounds. However, he was still smiling leisurely while looking at Elvira. In contrast, Elvira¡¯s expression was anxious, despite not having a single thread of her clothing disturbed. ¡°Huff, huff¡­ damn it¡­¡± Elvira panted, exhaling exhausted breaths. Her stamina had been depleted. The chat window and Shin Yuna exploded simultaneously. ¡°What the hell is this!!!!! Ah, ah. I¡¯m sorry. Ahem!¡± Shin Yuna, unable to process the situation before her eyes, fired off a heartfelt expletive. It was a genuine broadcasting accident, but the viewers didn¡¯t mind at all. They were just as shocked as Shin Yuna. ©¤What the hell is this ©¤Open your eyes ©¤Holy crap lololololol Russell, regretfully unable to see the chat¡¯s reactions directly, slowly swam with his battered body. He triumphantly grinned as he grabbed one of the mines that Elvira hadn¡¯t managed to detonate. Then, chomp!! He ate it right there. With each bite of the mine, his body began to regenerate. His wounds healed, and his limbs grew back. Finally, after finishing the entire mine, Russell returned to exactly how he looked when the battle began. Elvira, watching this scene in disbelief, muttered quietly. ¡°Ah, shit¡­¡± Through the microphone she was wearing, everyone could hear her words. ¡°I¡¯m screwed.¡± Russell began charging toward Elvira at a terrifying speed. Chapter 118 : Fight League Chapter 118 : Fight LeagueBefore we look into how this impossible situation came to be, let¡¯s first examine Russell¡¯s skill configuration. His status window looks something like this. [ Status Window: Russell Bright ] [ Personal Skill: Critical Bite(S) ] [ Excluding this skill, you can only possess up to 5 skills. All skill penalty effects are doubled. ] [ When fully submerged in water, you can enter ¡®Form ¨C Nanaue¡¯ state. In ¡®Form ¨C Nanaue¡¯ state, all physical abilities increase, and bite force greatly increases. Additionally, all skill penalties are removed, and beneficial effects are doubled. ] [ Skill List ] [ Waterproof Sanity(S), Metabolic Error(S), Martingale Betting(S), Shark Spirit(S), Aqua Adaption(C) ] [ Status Effects ] [ None ] Due to the uniquely brutal penalty of his personal skill, Russell went through tremendous deliberation when configuring his skills. Moreover, since Waterproof Sanity and Aqua Adaption are practically essential skills for underwater activities. In reality, he can only freely learn 3 skills. Aqua Adaption is a skill that works like this. [ Aqua Adaption(C) ] [ Walking and running speed on land decreases by 5%. ] [ Enables breathing and vocalization underwater. ] Anyway, he¡¯s torn through over two thousand skill scrolls just to optimally set up those remaining three skills. The three skills he chose are those ones. Each one either boasts tremendous performance or has insane synergy with his personal skill. The reason Russell could survive that recent explosion was thanks to the skill called ¡®Metabolic Error¡¯. [ Metabolic Error(S) ] [ Deactivates the body¡¯s natural healing ability against external wounds. ] [ Can ¡®consume¡¯ any target by biting. When external wounds are present, heals an amount equal to the mass consumed. Excess healing can be stored up to 10,000 kg. ] Underwater, the healing effect and storage capacity are doubled. And of course, the penalty is removed. Russell weighs about 90kg. This means he can recover from total body destruction approximately 2000 times. At this point, he¡¯s practically immortal. Moreover, when combined with his personal skill, this skill¡¯s outrageous performance rises even higher. Being able to recover body mass equal to twice the consumed mass means that eating 1kg of his own body can recover 2kg. While it might be somewhat repulsive, if you can compromise just on that aspect, infinite recovery becomes possible. In fact, Russell managed to fill up about 5000kg of Metabolic Error¡¯s recovery capacity by eating his own body in the midst of that insanely powerful explosion. ¡°No way, how is that possible!!¡± Shin Yuna, who had been listening to the explanation, cried out in shock. No matter how you look at it, eating 2500kg of your own body in such a short time should be physically impossible. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Let¡¯s look at Russell¡¯s next skill. [ Martingale Betting(S) ] [ When using a skill, there is a 7.7% fixed chance to cancel the skill use. Canceled skills cannot be used again for 7 days. ] [ When using a skill, there is a 50% chance to use that skill again with double power. This effect can repeat up to 5 times. ] When cast underwater, the success rate for reuse and maximum repeat count are doubled, and the penalty is removed. If you can picture what an exponential curve looks like in your head, you¡¯ll get a sense of just how much regenerative power he can unleash. The extraordinary hunting method he demonstrated when Oceanos was hunting the sperm whale last time was created by combining these two skills. [ Skill, Metabolic Error(S)¡¯s remaining storage is 7000kg. ] ¡®Hmm, Elvira definitely messed up her power control.¡¯ Normally, around 3000kg should have remained. Well, anyway. Having survived Elvira¡¯s explosion through that process, Russell looked at Elvira triumphantly. If he could just approach and grab Elvira now, it would be Russell¡¯s victory. However, Russell knew better than anyone that the battle wouldn¡¯t end like this. Unfortunately, due to insufficient space in his skill window, he had no movement-related skills. So what¡¯s that one remaining skill, you ask? I¡¯ll tell you about that later. Anyway, having to swim purely with physical ability, he was much slower than the other members. In terms of movement speed, a chase with Elvira, who firmly maintained her position at the top of Oceanos, was destined for failure. But that didn¡¯t mean Elvira could do anything to Russell either. This was why their matches always ended in a draw. As expected, Russell couldn¡¯t catch up to Elvira as she swam here and there, and the battle entered a stalemate. ©¤First off, neither of them seems human ©¤FFS is this even power that humans are allowed to have ©¤Wonder how pathetic they think those landlubbers are ©¤Fact is my hunter rank is higher than both of them lol ©¤What rank are they anyway? ©¤They said earlier Shark guy is B-rank, Bomb lady is C-rank ©¤Hunter Association <- Like if you agree they¡¯re historically incompetent lololol ©¤The funny thing is I feel like I could beat them on land lololololol ©¤Seriously, I¡¯m confident I could take them down in 5 minutes on land. ©¤What about underwater? ©¤Then I¡¯d have to cry and beg the host to protect me¡­ The viewers were also on the edge of their seats before finally starting to pour out their thoughts about the battle. Meanwhile, Yuna watched the battle with her eyes gleaming. In her mind, she quickly sketched out the equipment both of them would use. Well, regardless. Having already pumped out every type of hormone that drives people crazy ¨C adrenaline, dopamine, you name it ¨C Russell and Elvira were now in a state where they couldn¡¯t care less about the cameras. However, the decisive powerful blow that would determine the winner had yet to strike. And so, these crazy bastards were heading toward the same conclusion again. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Damn, this is so frustrating. You little rat.¡± Russell ground his teeth as he shouted. ¡°How long are you going to keep running away?! The sun¡¯s going to set at this rate!¡± Elvira, who had completely recovered her stamina, also glared at Russell and yelled. ¡°Oh yeah. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to say that! You cockroach!¡± It was a kind of code phrase meaning ¡®let¡¯s end this now.¡¯ With that, Russell activated his fourth skill. [ Shark Spirit(S) ] [ This skill can only be used underwater. ] [ Summons shark spirits that increase the power of the next strike. Can randomly summon 1-5 shark spirits, with each spirit increasing strike power by 10%. ] Instantly, an enormous school of sharks appeared around Russell. A golden army of sharks, numbering easily in the thousands, gathered around Russell and swam by his side. As if to tear apart and erase any trace of anything that dared block their king¡¯s path. On the opposite side, Elvira prepared her final strike. Around Elvira, the maximum number of bombs her stamina would allow appeared. It was nearly equal to the number of sharks Russell had summoned. Their battle had already reached a level beyond human comprehension. ©¤I think I just peed myself ©¤You¡¯re holding up well¡­ I¡¯m already on my third sheet ©¤So you¡¯re saying the host absolutely destroys people like them when fighting? ©¤Yeah that¡¯s what they say ©¤Is this seriously not fake BS?? ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± Russell and Elvira made eye contact once and nodded simultaneously. With respect for a warrior of equal strength. With reverence for a rival they could never defeat even in hundreds of battles. And finally, with their feelings for an old friend. ¡°Here I come.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Russell and Elvira charged at each other simultaneously, And finally, the bombs and sharks collided. ¡°Kyaaaaaah!!!¡± Yuna let out a shrill scream at the tremendous impact that rushed into the commentary space. The aftershock was so massive that the spherical object they were in shook as if it would break apart entirely. Of course, being an object, it didn¡¯t actually break. Yuna thought this must be what it feels like to witness a nuclear bomb going off right in front of you. It reminded her of a movie she had seen recently. In the chaos, even Oceanos could be seen struggling not to be swept away by the impact. ¡°Oh god, this is driving me crazy!! This is why you shouldn¡¯t get close when these two are fighting!!¡± Vertea¡¯s resentful voice could be heard from the side. After the chain of shockwaves that seemed to last forever finally ended, the battle results hidden by bubbles started to become visible. ¡°Xiao, please.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡­¡± Parang made a familiar request to Xiao, and Xiao pushed two medium-sized bones into the bubbles with a deep sigh. Soon after, two skeletons emerged carrying the unconscious Elvira and Russell. It was their seventh draw. The chat room¡¯s reaction was explosive, as expected. An incredible amount of chat messages scrolled by too fast to even see. ©¤NextMatchNextMatchNextMatchNextMatch ©¤Holy shiiiiiiiit this is what you call a fight ©¤CG artists collectively crying lololol ©¤???: Please make it like this video ©¤Kyaaaaargh Russell and Elvira regained consciousness simultaneously. As if they had never fought, they put their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders and shared a hearty laugh, then confidently took their seats in the commentary space. ¡°Then, could the next contestants please come forward.¡± At Yuna¡¯s words, two people stepped forward without time to feel sad. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t want to fight this one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Diego probably feels the same way.¡± ©¤Kyosunni!! Kyosunni!!! Kyosunni!!! Kyosunni!!!! ©¤Rooting for Giant-nim damn show them!! ©¤? This is that 67m 38cm guy from before lololol Match 2, Vertea Fabron VS Diego Lopez Martin. Chapter 119 : Fight League Chapter 119 : Fight LeagueWhen Vertea and Diego¡¯s names were called as the next opponents, cheers erupted in the chat. Ah, correction. They did erupt, but in a slightly different direction. Since both Elvira and Diego had shown their faces on stream before, a colosseum immediately broke out in the chat. ©¤Teacher!! Teacher!! Teacher!! Teacher!! ©¤I think Teacher¡¯s gonna win this one;; Can¡¯t she just boil the 500m guy? ©¤? You really don¡¯t know anything about fighting;; Giant bro just needs to go swoosh once and it¡¯s instant death;; ©¤Well the host got out while complaining so can¡¯t they just swim out ©¤? That was them struggling with all their might from 500m away ;; Moreover, Vertea even had her own personal stream. From what Parang occasionally checked, she seemed quite popular in Western regions. As evidence, English and French chat messages would pop up from time to time. Anyway, once the argument about who would win started, the chat became absolute chaos. Add to that the suspiciously intense English chat messages being thrown in, and it was nothing short of a complete mess. Unable to watch any longer, Yuna froze the chat. Such division and fighting wasn¡¯t good for the broadcast either. But even she was curious. She turned to Parang, who was sitting next to her with a blank expression, and asked: ¡°So, who wins?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ They¡¯re pretty even. They¡¯ve fought six times, Vertea won three, Diego won three.¡± ©¤Balance is totally screwed ©¤Someone¡¯s got 3 wins 3 losses, someone¡¯s got 6 draws, everything¡¯s just messed up lol ©¤At least explain how the fight works ¡°Ah, about the fight dynamics.¡± To understand that, we first need to know Diego and Vertea¡¯s skill compositions. First, let¡¯s look at Vertea¡¯s case. [ Status Window: Vertea Favron ] [ Personal Skill: Thermodynamic Collapse(S) ] [ Converts all energy generated from your skills into triple the thermal energy. ] [ When fully submerged in water, completely resistant to all high-temperature damage. ] [ Skill List ] [ Waterproof Sanity(S), Aqua Pathfinder(S), Superconducting Photon Cannon(S), Galaxy Blast(S)¡­ ] [ Status Effects ] [ None ] ¡®Thermodynamic Collapse¡¯ is exactly what it sounds like ¨C a skill that converts skill output energy into heat. For example, if Vertea fires a plasma beam, the linear space along its path would be subjected to tremendous heat. Anyone who sees this status window tends to have one particular question. Parang did, and so did others. Usually, for personal skills, information is displayed in the status window in the order of skill name, penalty, and skill effect. But looking at Vertea¡¯s skill description, one might wonder if this is really a penalty. If anything, tripling energy output seems more like a merit. But it is indeed a penalty. An incredibly harsh one at that. Basically, hunters are immune to effects generated by their own skills. It¡¯s only natural. How absurd would it be if an ice ability user froze to death? However, Vertea¡¯s personal skill completely trashes this fundamental rule. The moment all skill output energy converts to thermal energy, Vertea becomes vulnerable to this energy herself. That¡¯s why ¡®high-temperature damage immunity¡¯ is proudly listed in the merits section. No wonder she can¡¯t pass the B-rank Hunter exam. She¡¯s destined to remain C-rank forever. In exchange, her combat ability underwater is absolutely exceptional. Naturally, since it triples all skill output without question. Plus, ¡®heat¡¯ is hardly visible to the eye. Unlike exploding mines and flashing golden sharks, you only see a few bubbles rising and that¡¯s it. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In caves or enclosed spaces like Objects, Vertea¡¯s firepower shoots up to top-tier within Oceanos. She¡¯s a tricky opponent in many ways. However, given her attack style, her win rate against other Oceanos members is just average. Whether it¡¯s Parang, Elvira, or Russell, they all maintain such fast-paced fighting styles that Vertea never gets a chance to deploy her heat zones. Though against Xiao, who fights at the same slow tempo as Vertea, her win rate is overwhelming. And in the case of her current opponent, Diego¡­ ¡°It¡¯s completely even.¡± As Elvira said, it¡¯s completely even. Basically, Vertea has more than enough time to unleash her full firepower against Diego. His combat tempo is overwhelmingly slow. Just growing giant takes an enormous amount of time. The problem is, even when Vertea unleashes her full firepower, taking Diego down is tricky. Since you can¡¯t just boil a 500m giant whole, you need to focus on pinpoint strikes at weak points, but breaking through Diego¡¯s deliberate defense is extremely difficult. In the end, Vertea and Diego¡¯s fights can be described as battles between one who seeks to penetrate and one who seeks to defend. ¡°That¡¯s why the results keep changing with each fight. When one person comes up with a strategy, the other prepares tactics to counter it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the results keep changing with each fight. When one person researches a strategy, the other prepares tactics to counter it.¡± The viewers nodded in understanding after hearing the explanation. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop the arguments. ©¤Still think the Giant¡¯s gonna win though ©¤I think Teacher¡¯s gonna win;; Can¡¯t she just boil his groin? ©¤?hey hey hey;;; ¡°Let¡¯s find out the result ourselves.¡± ¡°Ah, just a moment before that.¡± Yuna paused for a moment, went to the submarine, and adjusted the cameras. Soon, a new camera feed was added to the screen the viewers were watching. ¡°To better observe the battle situation, we¡¯ll be simultaneously broadcasting footage from an infrared camera.¡± ©¤Oh ©¤Awesooome ©¤Queen Yuna Meanwhile, Diego and Vertea silently stared at each other. Diego couldn¡¯t speak underwater to begin with, and Vertea was focusing. Earlier she had grumbled about not wanting to fight Diego, but truthfully, she was burning with fighting spirit. After all, isn¡¯t it when facing an equal opponent that you most want to win? In her mind, plans for the upcoming battle were already rapidly taking shape. The same would be true for Diego. ¡°Shall we begin?¡± Vertea spoke into the small microphone attached to her clothes. A moment later, Yuna¡¯s voice came through her earpiece. ¡°Yes. Please begin!¡± BOOOOOOM-!!!! Simultaneously, with an earth-shattering roar, Diego began to grow massive before her eyes. [ Skill ¡®Aqua Jet (A)¡¯ activated. ] Vertea immediately burst forward like an explosion, spinning madly around the transforming Diego while unleashing a barrage of skills like a storm. [ Skill ¡®Galaxy Blast (S)¡¯ activated. ] [ Gained status effect ¡®Zero Gravity¡¯ for 1 minute. ] [ Skill ¡®Superconducting Photon Cannon (S)¡¯ activated. ] [ Extremely vulnerable to heat damage for 3 minutes. ] [ Penalty has been offset. ] [ Skill ¡®Crimson Spear (A)¡¯ activated. ] ¡­ In an instant, dozens of skill usage messages floated before Vertea¡¯s eyes. At the same time, an enormous amount of bubbles erupted around Diego, who was positioned at the center of the spherical object. ¡®I need to accumulate as much damage as possible while he¡¯s still small.¡¯ Once Diego completed his transformation and began fighting in earnest, it would be much harder to stack damage. She poured everything she had into her offensive. Eventually, the bubbles churning around Diego began to spread wider and wider. ¡°Insane!! Are you seeing the thermal camera feed right now?!¡± Yuna continued her enthusiastic battle commentary without tiring. The thermal camera footage being broadcast showed Vertea¡¯s attack strategy clear as day. ©¤Wow I thought she was just firing randomly ©¤It¡¯s crazy how she¡¯s hitting the same spot while spinning;; How¡¯s that even possible? ©¤I¡¯d get dizzy and collapse just trying to spin like that ©¤But why keep circling around? Isn¡¯t that just wasting energy? ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? It¡¯s to avoid revealing her position.¡± Elvira said, sitting with her legs crossed. Parang looked at Elvira with an expression of disbelief. ¡°¡­When did you start talking casually with the viewers?¡± ¡°I just felt like it. They like it this way too.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± Well, anyway. Elvira¡¯s analysis itself wasn¡¯t wrong. Parang added some explanation. ¡°Look at the regular camera feed instead of the thermal one. See those shockwaves constantly exploding along Vertea¡¯s orbit? That¡¯s Diego trying to keep her in check.¡± ©¤Isn¡¯t it standard practice to be immobile during transformation?? ©¤That rule¡¯s already broken since he¡¯s being attacked during transformation;; Just as Parang said, continuous large and small shockwaves were erupting around Diego. It was clearly visible how the shockwaves grew larger as Diego¡¯s size increased. While dodging these seemingly random shockwaves, Vertea repeatedly heated specific points on Diego¡¯s pressure suit. ¡°She¡¯s using skills to find and target the weakest points. Being a researcher, she has lots of detection and analysis skills.¡± Vertea was focusing her heating on Diego¡¯s abdomen and neck. Through the thermal camera, these two areas stood out bright red. ©¤Looking at this, Teacher seems to have an overwhelming advantage ©¤FR ©¤But how much bigger is he gonna get holy As the chat reactions indicated, Vertea had the clear upper hand so far. While she hadn¡¯t allowed Diego to land a single attack, Diego was helplessly enduring Vertea¡¯s attacks. ¡°At this rate, will Vertea win?¡± ¡°Yeah. She really came prepared.¡± Diego¡¯s current height was about 300m. There was still plenty of time left until his transformation would be complete. However, Vertea didn¡¯t have the luxury of time either. If Diego completed his transformation, Vertea¡¯s chances of winning would plummet. If she couldn¡¯t accumulate enough damage to stop Diego¡¯s transformation in a short time, the tide would obviously turn in an instant. ¡®Please¡­ stop¡­ stop¡­!!!¡¯ Everyone watched their all-or-nothing battle with bated breath. And finally. KUUUUNG-!!! Unable to endure the pain, Diego failed to complete his transformation and fell to one knee. Final height, 430m. The chat exploded with reactions. After all, Diego hadn¡¯t managed to complete his transformation. ©¤Teacher!! Teacher!! Teacher!! Teacher!!! Yuna too, sensing the battle was over, began brainstorming ideas for equipment. ¡®It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t see Diego¡¯s combat style.¡¯ Unlike with Vertea, they hadn¡¯t gathered much combat data from Diego, which was disappointing. But since the equipment that size-manipulation ability users can use is quite limited anyway, it¡¯s just a matter of applying what seems to be the most appropriate archetype. However, there was something that neither Yuna nor the viewers knew. ¡°So this means Vertea¡¯s victory?¡± ¡°No? This is where it begins.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yuna stared at Parang with a blank expression. ¡°Just grab onto something tight. Russell, take care of the submarine.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The Oceanos¡¯s movements were so precise and automatic that Yuna didn¡¯t even think to ask for additional explanation. ¡°Please stay in here.¡± Though she couldn¡¯t have anyway, since Xiao had already half-forced her into a cage made of bones. ¡°I mean, no matter what, keeping me confined like this, at least some explanation would be¡­¡± Yuna, who could barely see ahead, started to say something but stopped. KWARRRRRRRRR!!! Right after, the entire object rumbled as if hit by an earthquake, and everything around began to be pulled towards Diego. ¡°WAAAAAHHH!! HOLY SHIT!! THANK YOU SO MUUUUCH!!!!¡± Yuna trembled as she held onto the bones tightly, expressing endless gratitude to Xiao. Now as always, anyone who saves your life is a good person. Chapter 120 : Fight League (6) Chapter 120 : Fight League (6)EP.120 Fight League (6) Rumble!!! "Whoa!! Isn¡¯t it still growing?! And it can use skills too?!" Yuna shouted as she watched Diego, who was sucking in everything around him like a black hole with incredible force. "It¡¯s possible. The output is significantly reduced, though." Yu Parang explained in a calm voice. It seemed the power had indeed diminished, as her voice was much calmer than during the Bermuda broadcast. Back then, she was desperately trying not to get sucked in, but now she seemed to be managing. Vertea was also struggling, but she was resisting Diego¡¯s power to some extent. Of course, this was from the perspective of Yu Parang and Vertea; for Yuna, it was a matter of life and death. Yuna clung to the bars of the bone prison with all her might. "Ahhh!! Xiao!! When is this going to end?!" "It should be over soon. Diego is probably reaching his limit." Xiao answered Yuna¡¯s question while reinforcing the prison with a few more bones. As the bones were added to the shaky parts, the prison¡¯s stability improved significantly. "How is it? Feeling a bit better now?" "Ah... yes. Thank you." "Don¡¯t mention it." Xiao¡¯s eyes, however, were fixed on Diego, not Yuna. Diego was still pulling everything towards him with tremendous force, and Vertea was using all her strength to break free from him. The image of a giant hundreds of meters tall facing off against a tiny human was enough to instill fear in anyone watching. Yuna felt her knees weaken and spoke to Xiao. "Um... what exactly is that skill?" "Oh, you mean Diego¡¯s skill." Xiao¡¯s explanation that followed was enough to shock both the viewers and Yuna. [ Gigante Marino (S) ] [ When fully submerged, the artifact ¡¯Silent Sinking¡¯ is automatically equipped. The artifact cannot be unequipped while submerged. ] [ While underwater, you can grow to a height equivalent to half the current depth (up to 500m). When maximized, resistance to physical impact is greatly increased. ] [ Artifact Information: Silent Sinking ] [ Grade: Curse ] [ A rusted diving suit made from the souls of those who resented the world and sank into the water. Their cries for help are buried in the cold water, eventually forgotten. ] [ Granted Options ] [ General ] [ Durability: Protects the wearer from physical impact. ] [ Special ] [ Giant Synchronization: The artifact automatically adapts to the wearer¡¯s body size. ] [ Negative ] [ Silence: Deactivates the wearer¡¯s vocal abilities. ] [ Pain: The wearer experiences continuous intense pain while using the skill. ] [ More (4 options hidden) ] "So... does that mean he¡¯s enduring pain while using the skill?" - That cursed artifact is seriously tough;; - How bad is it? - I tried one with a pain debuff once and fainted instantly, woke up 3 days later. - No way, it¡¯s that bad?? - I was at max output. The doctor said it was a miracle I didn¡¯t die from shock. - That¡¯s insane;; "Yes. According to Diego, it¡¯s like being slashed all over with a hot knife. If someone as stoic as him says that..." The pain must be unimaginable. Xiao spoke quietly. "That¡¯s why Diego rarely uses his skill in battle. He prefers to engage in physical combat with his giant body." Even amidst the roaring water, Xiao¡¯s calm voice was clear, making Yuna feel a bit somber. Listening closely, amidst the rumbling water, there seemed to be a deep, mournful scream. Yuna could no longer see Diego as majestic. The giant in the sea had transformed into something lonely and melancholic. ¡¯Why would he go through all that...¡¯ Why does Diego strive for the sea? What drives him to the ocean? Noticing Yuna¡¯s somber mood, Xiao changed the subject. "Well, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Diego won¡¯t push himself beyond his limits. He¡¯ll probably stop in about a minute." However, the situation didn¡¯t unfold as Xiao expected. - Uh oh - Why isn¡¯t it stopping?? - Is this okay??? Diego had been maintaining the skill for three minutes already. Both Yuna and the viewers sensed something was off. Xiao¡¯s demeanor had noticeably changed. Her expression was tinged with undeniable concern. Even amidst the fierce water sounds, Xiao¡¯s heavy and serious voice was clear, making Yuna feel solemn. Rumble¡ª Amidst the roaring water, there seemed to be a deep, heavy scream. Time passed in silence. Finally, Diego¡¯s skill ceased. After a brief silence. His body slowly tilted and fell with a thud. A massive vibration shook the entire area as if it would break everything. And at the same time. "Diego!!!!" Xiao screamed sharply and rushed forward. "Wait a minute!!" In her haste, she forgot to open the door to the bone prison where Yuna was. Not only Xiao but the entire Oceanos team, including Yu Parang, hurriedly swam towards Diego. Even Vertea, who was still moving miraculously, rushed straight towards Diego. A serious atmosphere quickly enveloped the scene. "Camera!! Turn off the camera quickly!!" Yuna shouted into her microphone. The staff at the control center would turn off the cameras. Through the earpiece in Yuna¡¯s ear, she could hear their conversation. "Hey! Get a grip! Hey!!" Elvira was banging on Diego¡¯s diving suit frantically. The bickering from earlier was gone, and everyone surrounding Diego was in a frenzy, which felt unfamiliar. Both the viewers and Yuna watched the scene in a daze. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t escalate into a major issue, as Diego regained consciousness and stood up again. Everyone helped him up and brought him back, and Yuna watched in a daze. "......" Eventually, the Oceanos team, supporting Diego, reached where Yuna was. "Ugh... I¡¯m exhausted..." Vertea, who had expended the most energy, immediately lay down on the bones and collapsed. Diego also sat down near Vertea, staring blankly ahead. Russell and Elvira were arguing again, seemingly dissatisfied with something, with Yu Parang egging them on. The atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed than when the broadcast started. Xiao approached and sat next to Yuna, who was watching in a daze. "Sorry for the embarrassing display. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s collapsed like that, so we were all surprised." Xiao¡¯s breathing was also quite rough. "They¡¯re just relaxing after the tension. Please understand." "Ah..." Only then did Yuna come to her senses and wave her hands. "No, I didn¡¯t think it was embarrassing at all. In fact..." Yuna looked at the bickering Oceanos team in the distance. Diego, having regained his energy, was now playfully hitting Elvira and Russell on the head. Yuna pondered. Perhaps they are one of the main reasons Diego heads to the sea. His presence with friends seemed far from loneliness. Yuna¡¯s mood brightened again. She stood up energetically and headed towards the Oceanos team. "Alright! Let¡¯s get started again!" Russell and Elvira, who had been grabbing each other¡¯s collars, finally remembered there were others present, and their expressions were priceless. Diego and Vertea seemed fully recovered too. - What¡¯s going on? - Open your eyes, open your eyes - Is everything okay?? - But the force is insane;; How big is it when it grows to 500m? - There¡¯s a video of it "Ah, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Let¡¯s continue." Yuna calmed the confused chat and smoothly continued the broadcast. Somehow, she felt more comfortable dealing with the Oceanos team. "The next round is the last two, right?" - The king is the best - The host will probably win, right? - Didn¡¯t you see the bone summoning to subdue the monster fish? I think it¡¯s a close match. - Are we finally seeing the host¡¯s personal skills today?? "No, that¡¯s not it." Even when Oceanos spars among themselves, they don¡¯t bring out the Kraken. It¡¯s genuinely dangerous. - Oh, come on - Then the host might lose? - But it¡¯s the host; they¡¯ll probably win, right? sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 121 : Fight League (7) Chapter 121 : Fight League (7)EP.121 Fight League (7) The only match left is the final showdown between Yu Parang and Xiao. The chatroom wasn¡¯t as excited as one might expect. - Why isn¡¯t the host showing their Personal? - They said it¡¯s for safety reasons. - Who uses real weapons in a friendly match? - Still, I¡¯m curious. - True, but... Yu Parang had firmly stated, ¡¯I won¡¯t use my Personal.¡¯ The reason is simple: Xiao is genuinely dangerous. While mental attacks can be somewhat managed with perception distortion, her absorption ability remains a threat. However, since Parang had cut to the chase and said, ¡¯For safety reasons, I won¡¯t use my Personal,¡¯ the viewers weren¡¯t exactly pleased. - At least tell us what it is. - Is it really nothing special? - For real? Parang wasn¡¯t particularly bothered. After all, she had lived as an underwater hunter for years, where indifference was the norm. She was used to people underestimating her strength and talking behind her back. More importantly, Parang had other plans for revealing her Personal skill. Not here, but on a larger scale elsewhere. So, barely glancing at the chat, she calmly picked up her harpoon and left the viewing area. Xiao had already claimed the center, summoning a massive bone pillar and sitting cross-legged atop it. "Do I really have to do this too?" she grumbled, looking at Parang. "They said we need to verify our combat styles. We have to do it too." "Necromancers don¡¯t have combat styles. It¡¯s just about ramming skeletons until the defense breaks." Xiao¡¯s reluctance to fight wasn¡¯t surprising. Her one-on-one combat ability was on par with Parang without the Kraken, ranking lowest in Oceanos. [ Ghost Captain (S) ] [ Movement and attack are impossible during combat. ] [ All penalties and restrictions of necromancy skills are ignored, but the summoned beings can only exist underwater. ] Xiao, the Ghost Captain, who commands an endless army of corpses without moving herself. Thanks to this skill, Xiao established a unique identity as a hunter that no one on Earth, let alone Oceanos, could replicate. For example, let¡¯s take a look at this skill. [ Bone Necromancy (C) ] [ Slightly reduces resistance to holy power. ] [ Revives up to five cursed bones and controls them for two hours. ] When Xiao uses this skill, its effect changes like this: [ Bone Necromancy (C) ] [ The summoned beings can only exist underwater. ] [ Revives and controls bones. ] With just a C-rank skill, she can command an almost infinite number of skeletons without any restrictions. Moreover, unlike Earth¡¯s modern oceans, the seas of this world are filled with bones Xiao can control. Even now, countless Monster fish are dying and being born worldwide. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that Oceanos could manage the world¡¯s oceans with just six members, all thanks to Xiao. In large-scale battles, Xiao¡¯s abilities are overwhelmingly superior. However, the penalties attached to her skills are so severe. Unlike other Oceanos members, Xiao retains her penalties even when fighting underwater. She can¡¯t move or directly attack her opponent during combat, whether on land or sea. The skeletons Xiao summons aren¡¯t particularly strong individually, so against opponents like Elvira or Diego, who can prevent skeletons from approaching, victory is virtually impossible. Even the viewers and Yuna were left speechless by the unprecedented penalties. - What kind of ridiculous penalty prevents attacking? - Isn¡¯t the inability to move a bigger issue? - Either one would make you want to give up. Yet, Xiao overcame these penalties surprisingly easily and in a manner uniquely her own. "What exactly is her method?" Yuna asked, and Elvira, holding the mic in Parang¡¯s stead, answered. "Money." "...What?" As Yuna asked in disbelief, something began to appear around Xiao. Blue, translucent spheres. Barriers. Spherical, vivid barriers completely surrounding Xiao¡¯s space, standing out even in the deep blue water. The barriers, glowing a deeper blue than the surrounding water, were almost beautiful. As soon as the viewers saw the barriers, countless exclamations erupted in the chat. - Wow, look at the barrier¡¯s quality! - Not even a dragon¡¯s grandpa could break that. Yuna, a crafting hunter, was even more astonished. "Is it really possible to create such a perfect spherical barrier of that purity?! What kind of skill is that...?!" "It¡¯s not a skill. It¡¯s an artifact." Upon closer inspection, a necklace around Xiao¡¯s neck was faintly glowing. - An artifact??? - Why are you so impressed? sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. - If an artifact performs that well, it¡¯s priceless. "Wow, that¡¯s really what you¡¯d call a money move. It doesn¡¯t seem like something you can buy just with money!" "Really? Is it that expensive?" "Of course! With that, you could buy several nice buildings..." Kiiiing- Just as an excited Yuna was speaking, she froze with her mouth open. "That, that is... What on earth..." Kiiiing- Kiiiing- Kiiiing- Kiiiing- Around Xiao, identical barriers appeared one, two, three, four. "What is this..." Xiao had used the money pouring in from the world¡¯s oceans to purchase an absurd number of defensive artifacts. About four years ago, Xiao had a close call with an assassin who targeted her for money. Since then, she spared no expense on defense and self-protection, spending a fortune. As a result, every member of Oceanos ended up with state-of-the-art door locks worth millions. Anyway, Xiao¡¯s durability, covered head to toe in defensive artifacts, was beyond imagination. Outside of water, Xiao¡¯s combat power was unanimously considered the best in Oceanos. There¡¯s a 99% chance that five people trying to attack Xiao would die of old age before succeeding. Things change a bit underwater, though. Even Vertea could laugh off the barriers and render them useless. - But why is her hunter rank D? "Oh, that¡¯s because..." The C-rank hunter exam includes a ¡¯basic reaction speed test.¡¯ It¡¯s a test where you stand still and dodge incoming balls... [ Combat initiated. Movement is impossible. ] Beeeep-! < Candidate 67, eliminated. > Well, something like that. - But can the host really break through? "If she finds the right opening and strikes precisely, it¡¯s possible. After all, she only needs to land one hit." "The problem is Xiao won¡¯t let that happen. She¡¯s not a barrier user; she¡¯s a necromancer." "So honestly, Parang¡¯s chances are quite low. About... 20%?" Anyway, the battle began. Swoosh-!! Parang shot forward like an explosion, immediately charging at Xiao. For Xiao, who can¡¯t move or attack, the most critical threat is an opponent getting close. No matter what, closing the distance first is the best strategy. Of course, Xiao knew this and began deploying skills to block Parang¡¯s approach. "White Wall." [ White Wall (A) ] [ The summoned beings can only exist underwater. ] [ Creates a wall made of bones. ] Rumble!!! A wall suddenly appeared in front of the rapidly advancing Parang. As she quickly braked, she found herself completely surrounded by identical walls on all sides. Outside, the rattling sound of bones echoed incessantly. The bone army, likely made of Monster fish, was poised to attack Parang. ¡¯Stay calm.¡¯ Contrary to Vertea¡¯s words, Parang estimated her chances of victory at over 60%. She had a secret weapon that Oceanos didn¡¯t know about. If it worked as planned, victory was within reach. Carefully, she took something from the cartridge of her bodysuit and held it tightly in her hand. # Meanwhile, outside, countless bones surrounded the bone box containing Parang. Some were in human form, but most were in the shape of Monster fish. With a single gesture from Xiao, the bone box would be dismantled, and the skeleton army would rush in to tear Parang apart. With the skeletons summoned and victory seemingly assured, Xiao sensed something was off. ¡¯Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ There was too little movement. Normally, there would be loud banging from inside, with Parang breaking through the wall. But maintaining this stalemate indefinitely wasn¡¯t an option either. ¡¯Adding more skeletons here would just cause them to get tangled.¡¯ Xiao decided to dismantle the bone box. And what emerged from inside was something Xiao could never have imagined. "What the... What kind of madness...!!" "Haaahhh!!!" Seeing five Yu Parangs charging at her simultaneously, Xiao was momentarily stunned. "What... What is that!!" - ?????? - What¡¯s going on?? Why are there five of them? - Going to make mini Yu Parangs <- This was real? "Damn it!! Capture them!!" In the sudden chaos, the skeletons were in disarray. Instead of moving in unison, they collided and broke apart. Even so, Xiao managed to control the skeletons and eliminate two of Parang¡¯s clones, but three had already reached Xiao¡¯s barrier. "Ugh...!" But Xiao was a seasoned hunter who had seen it all. She pulled out her hidden trump card. Crash!!!! A massive shield suddenly appeared in mid-air, blocking the three Parangs at once. Meanwhile, the skeletons, having regrouped, surrounded the Parangs converging on Xiao. "This time, I win." Xiao grinned. However, the voice of Shin Yuna in her earpiece was saying something entirely different. "Oh!! Yu Parang!! Our host! With godlike movements, she finally breaks through the defense!!" "What?!" At those words, Xiao looked again at the three Parangs in front of her. Parang was nowhere to be seen, replaced by small machines. ¡¯Underwater drones?! Wait, does that mean the rear was breached...!¡¯ Only then did Xiao notice the harpoon blade resting against her neck. "Hello." Parang¡¯s voice came from behind her. "...Ha." Xiao laughed in disbelief. "This is insane." Chapter 122 : Interlude Chapter 122 : InterludeEP.122 Interlude "Great job, both of you. The footage turned out beautifully, so make sure to watch it later." Yu Parang and Xiao were greeted by Shin Yuna as they returned from their battle. Xiao plopped down into a chair, shaking her head in disbelief. "I never imagined you had such an outrageous skill... ¡¯Perception Distortion¡¯? How is that even an A-rank skill?" She opened her hand to reveal a small underwater drone she had been holding. This was the object that had been disguised as Yu Parang using the ¡¯Perception Distortion¡¯ skill. A doppelg?nger technique using perception distortion. Parang had come up with this technique after getting inspired by watching TV. She transformed special drones, designed to autonomously track targets, into her likeness to confuse the enemy. For reference, the drones were custom-made by Silo Corporation. She disguised five drones as herself to scatter the enemy¡¯s attention, allowing the real Parang to sneak in and launch a surprise attack from behind. It was Parang¡¯s secret ace up her sleeve. In any case, with the conclusion of Parang and Xiao¡¯s battle, the broadcast ended successfully. "Thank you all for your hard work today. We really appreciate you coming." Yuna bowed politely to Oceanos. Oceanos also returned the gesture with equal politeness. "No, it¡¯s only natural since we¡¯ll be working together in the future. In fact, we should be the ones thanking you for your help." Elvira shook hands with Yuna, smiling. Watching this, Parang¡¯s jaw dropped. "Elvira? I didn¡¯t expect you to say that." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What, you think I¡¯m always like that? I can be polite when I need to be. I¡¯m just rude to you guys." "Can¡¯t you be a bit more polite to us too...?" "Why don¡¯t you start being polite to me first?" "That¡¯s not going to happen." With that, they shared some lighthearted banter, and the broadcast wrapped up smoothly. "That¡¯s it for today¡¯s broadcast. See you next time." - You¡¯re coming back, right? We don¡¯t have to wait forever, do we?? - (Yu Parang¡¯s main channel has been offline for two weeks.) - Aaaaargh Correction. It didn¡¯t end smoothly. Parang¡¯s mischievous streak was triggered yet again by the chat. "Hmm, I think I¡¯ll be making an appearance again soon. But not through a broadcast." - What does that mean?? - Why does it sound like you¡¯re describing a rare animal? LOL - Making an appearance, LOL - Just close the channel if you¡¯re going to do this - No, don¡¯t do that;; - Please, anything but that Parang, with a bright smile, addressed the confused viewers. "It¡¯s a secret. You¡¯ll find out when the time comes." - ???? - Oh, you¡¯re going to get it today - Aaaaargh - Open your eyes, open your eyes, open your eyes < This broadcast has ended. > For the first time in a while, the community exploded. [ Damn it, you broadcast bastard! ! ! ] [56] [ Today¡¯s Broadcast Highlights ] [78] [ American S-rank Hunter Oceanos Battle Reaction ] [23] [ Today¡¯s MVP <- It¡¯s just this guy, yep ] [45] [ 100% Speculation on the Host¡¯s Persona ] [12] [ Always surpassing expectations... ] [44] [ Everyone get out, this is now the ¡¯Elvira Petrov¡¯ gallery. ] [34] [ "Stand up, Xiao. Losing to a stronger opponent is nothing to be ashamed of." ] [90] [ The fact is, the association won. ] [63] [ Always surpassing expectations... ] [ Author: HowIsItAlreadyMidnight ] (GIF of Yu Parang splitting into five and flying. If you look closely, you can faintly see Yu Parang sneaking below to target Xiao from behind.) A person who said she wouldn¡¯t use his persona but brings in doppelg?nger techniques... A person who breaks through a five-layer barrier without using her persona... A person who obliterates the meaning of prediction... We worship you, GOAO (Greatest of all Ocean) - (Worship Emote) - (Open Your Eyes Emote) - GOAO, this crazy woman LOL - Wow, looking closely, she slips through the gap between the bones, that¡¯s insane ? Wow, how did she see that angle - D D D - When did the host learn doppelg?nger techniques LOL [ "Stand up, Xiao. Losing to a stronger opponent is nothing to be ashamed of." ] [ RaiseClassic ] (Black and white photo of Parang smiling at the camera) "It¡¯s only natural for a D-rank to lose to a B-rank." - (Worship Emote) - I admit the doppelg?nger technique, but using Silo¡¯s drones is a bit much;; Isn¡¯t that just relying on gear? ? What, did Necro not use gear? You idiot ? LOL Emote ? Looking at this guy¡¯s logs, he¡¯s a hardcore Xiao fan? ? Totally LOL - Damn, breaking through a five-layer top-tier barrier without using a persona ? What if she was using her persona from the start? What if breathing underwater is her persona? ? Aaaaargh [ Damn it, you broadcast bastard! ! ! ] [56] (Screenshot of Parang¡¯s main channel, offline for two weeks) Broadcast, damn it! ! ! - Ah LOL "Secret Event" see you then LOL ? (Of course, the broadcast won¡¯t be on) ? Yukiyaaaargh - Newcomers making a fuss over a mere two-week break, tsk tsk ? What¡¯s going on behind the scenes ? Sorry, my hands are shaking as I type ? (Outrage Emote) Interestingly, a fandom for each member of Oceanos has formed. Each of them left a strong impression, with distinct combat styles and personalities. Moreover, for the community members with nothing better to do, the so-called "pitting them against each other" was immensely entertaining. Debating "who would win if they fought each other" became a never-ending source of discussion, like a goose laying golden eggs or an inexhaustible well. This debate quickly became a cultural staple and a long-standing topic in the gallery. ...And later, this culture would provide unexpected help to Oceanos. But that¡¯s a story for another time. # Meanwhile, after the broadcast, Yuna and the Oceanos group didn¡¯t return to the surface but headed somewhere else underwater. They were escorting Yuna to the Monster fish layer, with Oceanos forming a protective formation around her. The sight of fish dozens of meters long swimming just 10 meters away was enough to intimidate even Shin Yuna. She asked, slightly nervous. "Uh... Are we almost there?" "Yes, we¡¯re almost there. It¡¯s that object over there." They were heading towards an object floating in the middle of the Monster fish layer. The object was shaped like a clay pot, and up close, it was truly enormous. It was twice as large as the spherical object where they had just fought. Considering Diego could comfortably attempt his maximum enlargement inside, you can imagine how large this object was. "Wow..." Yuna¡¯s jaw dropped at the overwhelming sight. As they neared the pot¡¯s entrance, Russell paused the group and entered the pot first. "I¡¯ll check inside for a moment. We manage it regularly, but another Monster fish might have settled in." And indeed, shortly after he went inside, there was a loud clanging sound, and a train-sized Monster fish was pulled out. "Where do you think you¡¯re going, you bastard!!" After watching Russell quickly catch up and devour the Monster fish whole, Yuna and Oceanos finally stepped inside the object. The interior of the pot was so dark that it was nearly impossible to see anything. "Just a moment." Until Parang clicked on the light of her suit, Yuna couldn¡¯t see the inside of the pot at all. And what was revealed inside the pot was... "Wowwwww..." Yuna was so captivated by the overwhelming sight that she forgot to step inside. The pot was filled with the highest-grade materials Oceanos had collected over time. Bones, shells, teeth, tentacles, and eyes of unidentified Monster fish were piled up like mountains, and massive Magic Stones formed towering heaps, enough to make any blacksmith¡¯s eyes spin. "We have about eight more storage rooms of similar size. If you¡¯re not satisfied with these materials, we can show you the others." Vertea scratched her head awkwardly. "I¡¯m not really familiar with production... I hope this is enough..." "Oh, no! This is more than enough. Thank you so much." "No, we should be thanking you for making something for us." Vertea¡¯s words made Yuna shake her head. She touched the hard and resilient shell next to her and spoke. "Just being allowed to handle materials of this quality is worth paying for. I meant thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with such top-grade materials." Yuna spent over ten hours meticulously going through Oceanos¡¯s treasure trove, finally selecting all the materials needed to craft weapons for them. And two weeks later, a package arrived at each Oceanos member¡¯s doorstep. Inside were top-grade equipment, crafted with the spirit of the God of Training. Simultaneously, an extraordinary gift from the association arrived at the Hunter Gallery. [ Hunter Association Announcement: Underwater Hunter Rank Exam Opening ] [108] Chapter 123 : And Then There Were None (1) Chapter 123 : And Then There Were None (1)EP.123 And Then There Were None As soon as the Hunter Association announced it, hunters worldwide took the bait immediately. [Real-time Best Posts (Hunter Gallery)] [Association Notice Recap)) Underwater Hunter Rank Exam Announcement] [Author: FoldedPaper] (A photo capturing the entire content of the Hunter Association¡¯s official document. It¡¯s filled with a massive amount of text, statistics, graphs, and more.) To summarize: Hey, it¡¯s the Association. The ocean seems a bit off these days? (That¡¯s what the graphs and statistics are about. The level where Monster fish appear is rising.) If we leave this unchecked, we¡¯re screwed, so we¡¯re gathering and managing dedicated underwater personnel. Thus, we¡¯ve established the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam. But since the ocean power balance is a mess, we¡¯re creating ranks above S, like SS and SSS, just for underwater. Those who score SS or higher will be organized into teams to investigate the ocean. For now, we¡¯re running trials in ten cities, so come to whichever is convenient for you and take the exam. The exam venues will open in a week, and for the first two weeks, we¡¯ll cover transportation and provide some potions if you come to take the exam. Evaluation areas and criteria are in this link. (Hyperlink) You can apply through this link. (Hyperlink) - Big Parang LOL ? What¡¯s Big Parang? Is it Onion Ring¡¯s friend? ? Are you even a hunter? Don¡¯t you know Yu Parang? - Wow, they¡¯re finally making SS and SSS, but why only for this? ? I thought the S-rank ecosystem would finally normalize, but it¡¯s just for underwater;; - Since it¡¯s an underwater exam, I guess they¡¯re holding it in coastal cities. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. - So if I take the exam, do I get to hunt Monster fish? - What kind of potion are they giving? ? C-grade medium fatigue recovery ? Oh, just a giveaway then. ? Damn, for lower ranks, even that¡¯s precious. - Isn¡¯t Natsuko missing, and isn¡¯t the acting president of the Association in charge? Can they handle such a large project? ? It was a plan almost executed during Natsuko¡¯s time, but they decided to go ahead since they couldn¡¯t due to internal organization after she went missing. Of course, the Association didn¡¯t just post a notice. They plastered promotional posters everywhere¡ªfrom TV, TTube, subways, buses, even the Times Square screen¡ªdrawing global attention. Naturally, the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam became the hottest topic among hunters worldwide. Meanwhile, the people in the Yu Parang Gallery didn¡¯t hesitate to dive into this trend. To be precise, Parang openly pointed them in that direction. [Breaking News)) Gallery Master to Broadcast Underwater Hunter Rank Exam] [Author: NotTomorrow] Copied the channel notice as is. Hello, this is Yu Parang. The next broadcast will take place on the third day of the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam in Busan. This broadcast is jointly planned with the Hunter Association to encourage participation in the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam. Therefore, the broadcast will be on the Hunter Association¡¯s official channel. We¡¯ll start the broadcast and go through exams from D-grade to SSS-grade, sharing tips for applicants. Please show a lot of interest in the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam. Thank you. Oh, and during the SSS-grade promotion exam, I¡¯ll be using my personal skill. Yu Parang - (Worship Cone) ? (Worship Cone) ? (Worship Cone) - The Association has grown a lot, collaborating with Yu Parang. - I knew it, damn it LOL - It¡¯s good you¡¯re broadcasting, but can you stream on your account, you jerk!!! ? No. ? Is that you? ? No. - Personal skill reveal, damn this is it!!!! - (Open Eyes Cone) ? (Close Eyes Cone) ¡¯Hmm, it¡¯s better not to look here anymore.¡¯ Parang crunched on her potato chips and closed the Yu Parang Gallery. She knew it existed but felt embarrassed to enter, and as expected. ¡¯Is this what it feels like to be a cult leader?¡¯ The sight of hundreds, thousands of people gathered to worship her... Parang¡¯s face flushed. ¡¯Still, it¡¯s a relief the notice spread properly.¡¯ The more attention the Underwater Hunter Rank Exam gets, the better. Why? Just as the Association¡¯s notice stated. If the Monster fish layer keeps rising and reaches the surface, Oceanos will be severely understaffed for coastal defense. According to Silo¡¯s estimates, the current depth of the Monster fish layer is 400 meters below sea level. In such a short time, it¡¯s risen incredibly high. It¡¯s already known to those in the know that mysterious submarine disappearances are happening globally. The predicted pattern suggests it will take about two months for the Monster fish layer to fully rise. After that, coastal areas worldwide will be on high alert. Creatures like the crab-shaped Tubuka can come ashore. Xiao can hold them off for a while, but there¡¯s a limit. ¡¯So, we need to recruit as many as possible.¡¯ While Oceanos handles the final boss, the eye, hunters are needed to protect the people on land. Parang stored the remaining potato chips and lay in the room¡¯s tank, staring at the ceiling. ¡¯By the way, is the government still not taking any action?¡¯ With the Association drawing this much attention, it¡¯s normal for the government to react. Surprisingly, the government had taken no public action. ¡¯It¡¯s driving me crazy. I can¡¯t figure out their intentions.¡¯ Logically, one would conclude, ¡¯They¡¯re pretending to do nothing while scheming behind the scenes.¡¯ The problem is that the world¡¯s government leaders are located somewhere about twenty million light-years away from normalcy. Parang¡¯s gaze landed on the USB on her desk. It was the USB she received from Silo in Florida. ¡°These are compiled reports from our investigators who infiltrated the world government.¡± The day after receiving it, Parang immediately checked the data underwater. And she understood. Why the government ruling the world was in such a state. Why, despite Silo¡¯s protection, they couldn¡¯t even touch Parang or those around her. How they could still function as a ¡¯government.¡¯ And why so many of Silo¡¯s operatives had to die horribly. All of it. Yet, there were still unsolved mysteries. For instance, the true identity of Yoo Sungjun, who appeared on the podium that day. Parang lay quietly in the tank, arms crossed, deep in thought. ¡¯...No, this doesn¡¯t make sense either.¡¯ Seemingly plausible theories and hypotheses emerged but were all blocked by a single wall. ¡¯Yoo Sungjun¡¯s case doesn¡¯t add up.¡¯ Yoo Sungjun was definitely a corpse. Yet, he stood on the podium and gave a speech. Even after that speech, Yoo Sungjun continued to travel the world, fulfilling his duties as the world government president. He appeared at official events multiple times. ¡¯How on earth...¡¯ Yoo Sungjun was definitely in Alice¡¯s cave as an intact corpse. ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯ Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Parang. ¡¯Yoo Sungjun¡¯s intact corpse is... with Alice.¡¯ She sprang up from the tank, almost as if she was ejected. "Why didn¡¯t I think of that?!" When she met Alice that day, even with Yoo Sungjun¡¯s corpse right in front of her, Parang didn¡¯t do what she should have. "Why didn¡¯t I think of ¡¯diving,¡¯ you idiot!!" Parang knocked herself on the head. It seemed she hadn¡¯t thought of it because she wasn¡¯t used to it after receiving the dive from Xiao. ¡¯I need to meet Alice right away.¡¯ She hurriedly packed her things and prepared to go out. She needed to see Yoo Sungjun¡¯s memories. As soon as possible. ¡¯I should take that too.¡¯ Parang grabbed the USB and the underwater laptop from the desk and put them in her bag. ¡¯Hopefully, it¡¯s still there. Please...!¡¯ Parang plunged into the sea. # Meanwhile, at the same time, in the deepest part of the Mariana Hive. "...For that to happen, Han Siwoo, you dying here and only Parang escaping is the most ideal." "Isn¡¯t that too risky? It seems better to let Yu Parang escape first, then I¡¯ll escape, join you, and either commit suicide or have you kill me." "No. If you get tracked by that eye..." Wooooooong!!!! The conversation between the man and woman in the empty red stone chamber was abruptly interrupted by a video suddenly transmitted from Capulus. In the transmitted video, Parang was urgently tapping Capulus, saying something. "Looks like she¡¯s coming over." At Alice¡¯s words, Han Siwoo shook his head and replied. "Let¡¯s continue this conversation later." "Alright. This time, stay outside. I¡¯ll transport you." "Okay." Han Siwoo nodded slightly and was transported somewhere through Capulus. And immediately after, Yu Parang popped out from the same Capulus Han Siwoo had entered, landing on the floor. "Ugh..." Alice wiped her expression clean and greeted Parang brightly. "Hello." Chapter 124 : And Then There Were None (2) Chapter 124 : And Then There Were None (2)EP.124 And Then There Were None (2) "¡­So, what¡¯s going on?" Alice asked Yu Parang, who was sitting across from her. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a genuine question. Alice could only foresee major events. These small, sporadic incidents were beyond even her predictions. Yu Parang¡¯s sudden visit was a complete surprise to her¡ªa truly unexpected situation. That¡¯s why she had hastily hidden Han Siwoo away. ¡¯If she¡¯s this urgent, it must be something big.¡¯ Yu Parang, sitting with a serious expression in front of Alice, finally spoke. "Alice, about Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body you showed me last time. Do you still have it?" "Oh, that? Yeah, I still have it. Do you need it?" "Yes, I need to see his memories." "Memories, huh¡­" Alice looked at Yu Parang with a puzzled expression for a moment, then nodded as if she understood the situation. "Got it. I¡¯ll bring it now. There¡¯s something you need to find out from his memories, right?" "Yes. And you¡¯re coming in with me. It¡¯s better for both of us to see it together than just me alone." "If I can help, sure." Alice readily agreed to the proposal and brought Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body, placing it in the center. It was in the same condition as when Yu Parang last saw it. "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve dived. Are we jumping in right now?" Alice asked Yu Parang while examining Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body closely. But Yu Parang didn¡¯t dive immediately. Instead, she started pulling out various odds and ends from a bag she had brought. Alice, though curious, helped by pulling up part of the floor to create a table for Yu Parang to lay out her items. Alice glanced over the items Yu Parang had laid out. An underwater laptop, two plain-looking bracelets, and a USB. Alice picked up a bracelet, inspecting it as she asked Yu Parang. "What are all these?" "Before we dive into the memories, I¡¯d like you to check the contents of this USB first." Yu Parang powered on the laptop and connected the USB to the port. Alice noticed that the desktop background was a group photo of the Oceanos members. It was taken a few years ago on Yu Parang¡¯s birthday when everyone gathered at her house. It was the photo Alice had asked Yu Parang to always keep with her. ¡¯She remembered.¡¯ Feeling a bit touched, Alice asked Yu Parang, pretending to be nonchalant. "What¡¯s in this USB? And what about the bracelets?" "This is, well¡­ you could call it an operation record. It¡¯s a file compiled of data collected by various investigators dispatched by Silo Corporation who infiltrated the World Government." "And the bracelets?" "They¡¯re artifacts. There¡¯s a creature in the video that attacks through the screen." "Ah¡­" Alice nodded and put on the bracelet. One might ask why bother when there¡¯s a waterproof sanity skill, but that skill only works when both the attacker and the target are in the water. In this case, the mental attack caster is outside the water. Once Alice wore the bracelet, Yu Parang, who also wore a bracelet, opened the first file on the USB. - 20240831 "This is a video taken by a Silo¡¯s concealment-type awakener who infiltrated the World Government¡¯s London branch." "August 31st, huh¡­" It¡¯s October 13th now, so the video is from about a month and a half ago. "I¡¯ll play it." Yu Parang¡¯s solemn voice made Alice instinctively feel a bit intimidated. Having already seen the video and knowing its contents, Yu Parang was unfazed, but Alice¡¯s body tensed slightly. Crackle¡ªCrackle¡ª The video quality was quite poor. You could make out what was happening, but it required considerable effort. The video seemed to be shot with a tiny camera attached around the chest area. Probably the concealment-type ability user Yu Parang mentioned. He was standing in front of the World Government¡¯s London branch. A grand and old-fashioned building with many people coming and going. Civilians, building security, people in suits, and so on¡­ A perfectly ordinary, everyday government office scene. Naturally, if the World Government offices were closed or had turned into hellscapes inside, it would be impossible for such news not to spread. Even now, government offices worldwide are functioning normally. "¡­Agent Green Tea. August 31, 2024, 4 PM GMT. Beginning infiltration." A very soft, whispering male voice came from the video. For a code name like ¡¯Green Tea,¡¯ it was quite a husky voice, but whatever. Deciding not to dwell on it, the man slowly walked into the London office. Crackle¡ª The scene transitioned. Inside the government office, Green Tea looked around, capturing the surroundings with the camera. Except for the old-fashioned interior, it was a scene you could easily find in any government building in our country. "Infiltration complete. Proceeding to the target ¡¯sealed floor.¡¯ Ceasing audio recording for stealth." "¡¯Sealed floor¡¯?" Alice questioned, and Yu Parang answered. "Two weeks before this video was taken, on August 15th, the entire 5th floor of the London office building was suddenly sealed off under the pretext of internal renovations. It was already a restricted area, so most people didn¡¯t even know it was sealed." "And according to Silo¡¯s investigation, something was in that sealed floor?" "Exactly. Keep watching." Green Tea moved smoothly towards a door marked ¡¯Authorized Personnel Only¡¯ in a secluded area. With his concealment ability likely active, no one stopped or even glanced at him. "Despite appearances, his concealment ability ranks high in the S-class. It¡¯s not registered in the Association¡¯s awakener database for confidentiality." Yu Parang added an explanation. When Green Tea opened the door, there was an emergency staircase inside. Bare white walls, crude floor markers, and green-lit emergency exit signs. An utterly ordinary emergency staircase. Just a typical government office. Green Tea cautiously began ascending the stairs, one floor at a time. 2nd floor, 3rd floor¡­ Finally, upon reaching the 4th floor. Whoosh!! The screen suddenly shook violently, changing to a perspective looking down from the ceiling. It seemed he had quickly moved to a corner after sensing something. Alice held her breath at the sudden change in situation. The silence was so profound that even breathing couldn¡¯t be heard. And then, moments later. Bang!!!! Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!!! Someone opened a door above and began descending towards Green Tea at an incredible speed. It was a sound no ordinary person could make on stairs. Soon, the source of the footsteps was revealed. A pretty woman in a suit and high heels was the one making the noise. She was carrying a pile of unknown documents in her arms and dashed past the section where Green Tea was, descending the stairs at an astonishing speed. The peculiar thing was her expression, which was so blank it seemed almost doll-like, and despite running at such a speed, she didn¡¯t look tired at all. Moreover, even while moving her legs so rapidly, her upper body remained perfectly still. Even after the woman passed, the thudding sound continued to echo from below. However¡­ Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud¡ª This was the 4th floor, and there was no path leading to a basement from the stairs seen on the 1st floor, yet the woman¡¯s footsteps kept echoing for a long time. In fact, the sound seemed to be moving further away from Green Tea, growing fainter. "Let me pause it for a moment." Yu Parang paused the video. Alice, having witnessed an unbelievable scene, asked Yu Parang with her mouth agape. "This, this¡­ Is this some kind of horror movie¡­ or something?" "No. It¡¯s all real footage. These are the events happening in various World Government branches." Yu Parang added with a serious expression. "It¡¯ll continue to be scary from here on, so brace yourself." "¡­I can¡¯t not watch it, can I?" "Nope. I watched it alone, so you can do it too." "Ah, alright¡­" Yu Parang resumed the video. The woman¡¯s thudding footsteps continued to grow fainter. How she made such a sound in high heels was a mystery. Finally, after a long while, the footsteps stopped. Green Tea, maintaining his composure, waited a bit longer before cautiously descending. He made no sound, not even a breath, as he continued up the stairs, finally reaching the 5th floor. [ Authorized Personnel Only ] The ordinary, neat writing seemed eerily ominous today. Green Tea cautiously grabbed and turned the metal emergency door handle. Click¡ª From below, a deafening woman¡¯s voice and the sound of someone madly dashing up the stairs began to echo. Though it seemed incredibly far away, the sound was loud and clear, as if coming straight up from the 1st floor. "Fucking Bitch¡­!!" Green Tea, seemingly too flustered, cursed in his native language and hurriedly opened the 5th-floor door, slipping inside. Through the closing door gap, the same woman, in the same attire and posture, was seen dashing up the stairs. She was an ordinarily pretty woman, except for the tentacles writhing inside her wide-open mouth. Green Tea, moving at incredible speed, barely managed to close the emergency exit before the woman could reach the door. A thud was heard from behind the door, followed by continued silence. Green Tea, still holding the door tightly, surveyed the 5th-floor interior he had just entered. It looked like an abandoned warehouse, with paper boxes and unidentifiable junk scattered everywhere. The lights were completely off, making it barely possible to discern the shapes inside. "I, I can¡¯t keep watching this, can I stop?" Alice pleaded with Yu Parang in a trembling voice. "No." Where do you think you¡¯re going? Yu Parang coldly refused. Chapter 125 : And Then There Were None (3) Chapter 125 : And Then There Were None (3)EP.125 And Then There Were None (3) "Huff... Huff..." ¡¯Green Tea¡¯ was panting heavily, slumped against the door, unable to move for a while. It felt like his legs had given out. What had just happened to him was straight out of a horror movie. But no matter how terrifying it was, he was a professional and an elite infiltration agent. He quickly regained his composure and began to survey his surroundings. First, he grabbed a metal bar within reach and blocked the door, then dragged a nearby metal cabinet to barricade it. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was some noise in the process, but he seemed to have decided it was unavoidable. "But won¡¯t that block his escape route too?" "No, every agent infiltrating the World Government carries a portable warp device. They even have a spare, so they each have two." "I see..." Despite this, Yu Parang chose not to mention that the survival rate for agents was less than 30%. After blocking the door, Green Tea cautiously began to explore the inside of the warehouse. Old metal shelves and cardboard boxes were scattered around, creating an endlessly eerie atmosphere, as if untouched by human hands for a long time. The first-person perspective made the horror effect even more intense. "There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything unusual in the warehouse. I¡¯ll head outside to gather more information." He whispered so quietly into the recorder that it was barely audible. Wooong- Suddenly, Green Tea knelt quietly in the center of the warehouse, placing his hands on the floor and concentrating. "What¡¯s he doing?" Alice whispered to Yu Parang, matching Green Tea¡¯s hushed tone. "He¡¯s sensing vibrations to check if there¡¯s anyone or anything outside the room. But why are you whispering too?" "Oh, uh... I didn¡¯t realize." Alice chuckled awkwardly. Meanwhile, Green Tea finished sensing vibrations and carefully stood up. "I don¡¯t sense anything outside the door. Judging by the wave transmission, there seems to be a corridor." He took a deep breath and continued. "I¡¯ll proceed outside." Then, in the silence where even the sound of an ant crawling could be heard, the door was gently pulled open. And then... "Ahhhhhh!!!" "Ugh, ahhhh!!!!" Thud! Alice, who had been watching the screen with intense focus, screamed shrilly, and Green Tea also let out a scream, collapsing backward. There was a person standing in the open doorway. Or rather, something that was hard to call a person. Three middle-aged men in suits were standing in a line, pressed tightly against the door, revealing themselves as it opened. Yu Parang paused the screen and gently coaxed Alice, who had covered her eyes with her hands and turned her head away, to look at the scene. "Take a good look, Alice. Isn¡¯t there something strange about them?" Alice, who had barely managed to calm down and look at the screen, soon realized what Yu Parang was hinting at. "Are these... really people?" The figures standing at the door had human shapes, but they couldn¡¯t be called human. The angle from below made it hard to see clearly, but the three people standing upright were all identical. Three men with exactly the same face and build, without a single difference. They stood in perfect attention, not even glancing at Green Tea, who had fallen backward screaming, staring straight ahead at the door. Their appearance made it impossible to consider them human. At best, they looked like mannequins. The more Alice looked, the more a strange sense of unease washed over her. Alice involuntarily muttered the word that came to her mind. "The uncanny valley..." The instinctive discomfort felt when seeing something almost, but not quite, human. The fear when something non-human pretends to be human before you. For a while, Alice and Yu Parang watched the screen in silence. After a brief pause, Yu Parang spoke. "I¡¯ll keep playing it." "...Okay." The paused screen resumed. "Ugh, ahhhh!!" Terrified, Green Tea frantically fumbled at his waist. Then he pulled out a small white device and activated it. It was a portable warp device. The model took about 30 seconds to activate the warp. "Thirty seconds? Isn¡¯t that too long?" "It¡¯s actually incredibly short. If it weren¡¯t for Silo Corporation, reducing the time to this extent would be impossible." Yu Parang answered Alice¡¯s question. But that fact didn¡¯t seem to comfort Agent Green Tea much. He picked up anything around him and swung it wildly, staying on high alert. And the sight of the three men standing in perfect attention, not reacting at all to Green Tea¡¯s frantic actions, only added to the terrifying atmosphere. About five seconds passed, and then something changed. The man on the left among the three standing at the door suddenly began to speak fluently. "Good evening, citizens of London. The sky over London may be gloomy today, but I hope your daily lives, which sustain the vitality of our city, shine brightly." At the same time, from beyond the corridor visible through the open door, something could be heard running madly toward them. Thudthudthudthudthud "Ugh, ahhhhh!!!" In a state of panic and fear, Green Tea began throwing or swinging anything he could get his hands on. Then. Thud! A hard object he threw hit the head of the man on the left, who had been repeating the same lines in the same tone. Thudthudthudthudthud Suddenly, the man stopped speaking, and for the first time, he turned his head to look directly at Green Tea. With eyes wide open, as if about to pop out, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. Silence filled the warehouse. Then, the man who had been staring at Green Tea began to act strangely. "Ugh!! Ughhh!!! Uweeeek!!!!" Still facing Green Tea, he opened his mouth impossibly wide and began to retch. Thudthudthudthudthud Then, something huge was vomited out of his gaping mouth. A mass of rotten flesh, glowing with a red and purple hue. It writhed on the floor, gradually taking shape until it assumed the same form as the man who had vomited it. And then, speaking fluently, it began to walk across the warehouse toward the door leading to the emergency stairs. "Good evening, citizens of London..." Thudthudthudthudthud "...may your daily lives shine brightly..." But before long, as if tripping over something, it fell forward. When a person falls, their arms usually stretch out or their legs bend, but it fell straight like a log. And unfortunately, where its head landed was the sharp edge of a metal shelf... Thud!! Splat!!! Its head was impaled on the edge, crushing it completely. Thudthudthudthudthud "Good evening, citizens of London..." Even as brain matter and flesh oozed from its crushed head, it continued to repeat the same words in the same voice, causing Alice to grimace and turn her head slightly. Thudthudthudthudthudthud- Meanwhile, the shape of whatever was running madly from the other end of the corridor was becoming faintly visible... [ Skill, ¡¯Waterproof Sanity¡¯ has been activated. ] [ Strong resistance to mental attacks. ] [ Status effect, ¡¯Anthrophobia¡¯ has been mitigated to ¡¯Dizziness.¡¯ ] [ Artifact, ¡¯Oak Bracelet¡¯ effect has been activated. ] [ Moderate resistance to mental attacks. ] [ Status effect, ¡¯Dizziness¡¯ has been nullified. ] With the status windows appearing simultaneously before Alice and Yu Parang, the screen was enveloped in white light. As the light faded, the scene revealed was a bright, cozy space resembling a hospital. Seeing Green Tea, who had warped there, the waiting Silo Corporation nurses approached. A person who appeared to be a doctor standing behind them gave instructions to the nurses skillfully. "Administer a sedative and take him to the mental neutralization treatment room. Retrieve the camera." "Don¡¯t come near me!! I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll kill you all!! Don¡¯t come near!!!!!" With Green Tea¡¯s desperate screams echoing, the video ended. For a while, Alice couldn¡¯t say anything. "So this is..." "Yes. This is what¡¯s really happening inside the World Government." Yu Parang nodded with a grim expression and took out her phone to show another video. It was a video uploaded by the official account of the City of London. [ World Government London Mayor Mark Carlson¡¯s Oxford University Restoration Commemorative Speech ] "This is a speech given by the Mayor of London on September 2nd, to commemorate the restoration of the Oxford University building, which was damaged during the recent gate incident." "September 2nd..." "Yes. Two days after the events in the video." As the video played, the Mayor of London was seen speaking fluently from a podium set up at the entrance of Oxford University. Seeing this, Alice was taken aback. "This, this person...!!" "Yes. It¡¯s the same as the cloned humans standing at the door earlier. To be precise, they are the Mayor of London." Yu Parang explained further. "The Mayor of London hasn¡¯t been suddenly replaced by someone else. According to past records, this person has been serving as the Mayor of London for several years." Yu Parang shook her head as she continued. "But the one standing on the podium now is no longer human. The real one was devoured long ago." Alice watched the approximately 15-minute speech video with a blank expression. "Good evening, citizens of London. The sky over London may be gloomy today, but I hope your daily lives, which sustain the vitality of our city, shine brightly." The Mayor, in an utterly ordinary manner, delivered a message of dreams and hope to the people. "...and so, I hope that the newly rebuilt Oxford University can continue to be a beacon of the brilliant knowledge our humanity has accumulated. Thank you." After bowing his head and receiving applause, the Mayor got into a vehicle and left, marking the end of the video. Yu Parang spoke to Alice, who still wore a blank expression. "This is the truth of the World Government." Chapter 126 : And Then There Were None (4) Chapter 126 : And Then There Were None (4)EP.126 And Then There Were None (4) After the ¡¯Green Tea¡¯ video, Yu Parang showed Alice a variety of additional materials. There were videos shot at various branches of the World Government and reports written by surviving agents. Records of awakened individuals specialized in detection exploring the interior from the rooftop of the Beijing office, physical and mental examination records of surviving agents, and so on... Even after selection and compression, the amount and variety of data were overwhelmingly vast. There were even some materials that made one think, ¡¯Did they really go this far?¡¯ Like the record of digging a tunnel under a government-owned bunker and conducting a two-month undercover operation. This could be considered evidence of how much effort Silo Corporation put into breaking through the World Government. "Anyway, the common keywords that appear in most of the materials can be summarized like this." Yu Parang opened a notepad on the computer and began organizing. Chilling words were written all over the blank notepad. 1. Clones Whether in the closed spaces of the World Government offices, bunkers in the mountains, or military secret facilities. In spaces just slightly out of the public eye, clones of high-ranking World Government officials are swarming without exception. 1. Black-Red Flesh These clones only have a human appearance on the outside, while inside, they are filled with black-red flesh, and they periodically spew out their own clones as if reproducing like single-celled organisms. Sometimes, the clones devour each other. The exact conditions are unknown. 1. Simple Repetitive Actions The clones mechanically repeat the actions that the original person would normally do. They carry out overseas schedules, make policy decisions, and hold meetings. The intricacy and naturalness of their actions are so meticulous that they arouse no suspicion even when revealed to the public. Not all actions are repeated perfectly, so to the general public, they just appear to be normal people. "Wait, this is..." Alice trailed off, feeling a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Entities repeating actions clumsily. She was sure she had seen something similar somewhere before. Yu Parang nodded, as if sharing the same thought with Alice. "Right. The statues in that underwater city you saw in your memory. They, too, were repeating everyday actions in a bizarre and disjointed manner, just like these clones. Even when they fell to the floor, they kept trying to walk. Well, whether these two are related is unknown." Alice let out a gasp as she finally remembered. "Oh my gosh. How do you remember that?" 1. Something Approaching from Afar When a clone encounters an infiltration team agent, something starts running from afar immediately. Just glimpsing it causes severe mental damage. What happens if encountered directly is unknown. No agent who encountered it has returned. 1. Eyeball Monster It is speculated that the World Government President, Yu Sungjun, witnessed the ¡¯eyeball monster¡¯ through the camera attached to Han Siwoo, and this bizarre mutation of the World Government seems to have resulted from it. "In summary, this is about it. These are the things that currently seem most likely to be true. But at the same time, if we assume all of these are correct, there are still things that can¡¯t be explained." Yu Parang then began writing new items in the notepad. 1. Anomalous Actions of the World Government The World Government has already scattered artifacts in seas worldwide to deliberately lure people to the sea or attempted to eliminate Yu Parang, who interferes with this. These are actions that cannot be attributed to entities merely repeating actions. - Yu Sungjun S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The one who should have been most severely affected by the black mass is undoubtedly Yu Sungjun, yet there is no trace of the black-red mass on his corpse. Moreover, a recent psychic check revealed no abnormalities in Yu Sungjun. - Relationship Between the Eyeball Monster and the Black-Red Flesh Chronologically, circumstantially, and evidentially, this ¡¯black-red mass incident¡¯ started from the contact between the eyeball monster and the World Government, but the exact connection between the two is unknown. "This is the summary of the current situation. We came here to find clues about the unexplained parts written above." Alice made a subtle expression at Yu Parang¡¯s summary. "What evidence is there that the flesh monster and the eyeball monster are related? No matter how powerful it is, it seems unlikely that just seeing it through a camera could cause such physical phenomena." "That¡¯s exactly the problem." Yu Parang agreed with this point. There are countless entities capable of mental attacks through screens, but causing physical phenomena or mutating living beings just by being seen seems impossible. Take the Kraken, for example. Even seeing the mighty Kraken directly only causes mental damage at most. If just seeing the Kraken caused physical harm, Oceanos would have been wiped out by now. In such circumstances, it¡¯s hard to believe that the eyeball monster could cause such bizarre phenomena just by being seen through a camera. However, conversely, if it weren¡¯t a monster of that magnitude, it wouldn¡¯t be able to bring a government that rules the world to such ruin. "Could it be a parasitic monster?" Alice asked, and Yu Parang squinted slightly. "Have you been watching too many movies?" Parasitic monsters do exist. Stories of humanity going extinct or governments being overthrown by such creatures often appear as clich¨¦s in movies and novels. Well, those things are unlikely to happen in reality, and there is solid evidence against it in this case. "It¡¯s not that." Yu Parang shook her head and opened the file located at the bottom. - Status Window (Scott Klein).img Inside the image file with this name was a rather unexpected photo. "This is a status window?" "Yes." An awakened individual¡¯s status window is basically only visible to themselves, but with enough blood, information about the status window can be extracted. Naturally, Silo Corporation has that technology. Alice asked Yu Parang, as if she had a rough idea. "So, did you kidnap a government official and forcibly extract the status window?" However, Yu Parang¡¯s answer was quite different from what Alice expected. "No. This is the status window of that ¡¯black-red flesh.¡¯" "What?" "Some of the agents who were part of the infiltration team managed to return with the black-red flesh. They conducted all sorts of experiments on it and finally extracted a status window from it." Alice asked in disbelief. "Isn¡¯t the status window something that only exists for humans?" "There are two possibilities. Either the status window was given to this black-red mass for some reason, or..." Yu Parang looked at the photo with serious eyes. "That black-red mass is human." The photo contained the status window of an awakened individual named ¡¯Scott Klein.¡¯ [ Status Window: Scott Klein ] [ Personal Skill: Zero-Sum Circle (B) ] [ Shares beneficial effects applied to oneself with friendly entities within a 10m radius. ] [ Shares detrimental effects applied to friendly entities within a 10m radius with oneself. ] [ Skill List ] [ Healing Wind (A), Cunning Hands (A), Resistance (C), Care (E) ] [ Status Abnormality ] [ Overlap ¨C Permanent ] As Alice scrutinized the status window, she was momentarily shocked and furrowed her brows. She subtly checked if Yu Parang had noticed, but fortunately, it seemed she hadn¡¯t. ¡¯Overlap...!¡¯ The moment she saw that word, a jolt of electricity ran through Alice¡¯s mind. Overlap. Another word for ¡¯superimposition.¡¯ This meant that the black-red flesh was the result of ¡¯Scott Klein¡¯ being superimposed with something else. And superimposition usually means that similar things merge with each other. If different things merge, it¡¯s called fusion, not superimposition. This meant that Scott Klein was in a state of being merged with himself. Since there can¡¯t be two Scott Kleins in the world, at least one of them must have come from another world. It was all too obvious which world the other Scott came from. ¡¯Another iteration.¡¯ Scott Klein, Yu Sungjun, and the high-ranking officials of the World Government. They are superimposed with their counterparts from another iteration. ¡¯This leaves only one possibility.¡¯ As far as Alice knew, there was only one entity in the world capable of causing such phenomena. An entity that exists in this timeline while also interfering with other timelines. An entity made of endlessly overlapping malice, madness, and corruption. The entity that killed the Kraken. The entity that contacted the World Government. The Eyeball Monster. In terms of direction, Yu Parang and Silo Corporation¡¯s assumptions were correct. However, Alice was also blocked by the same error as Yu Parang. ¡¯No, but that can¡¯t be possible...¡¯ The ¡¯Overlap¡¯ status abnormality can only be explained by the Eyeball Monster. But as mentioned earlier, even the Kraken couldn¡¯t cause such phenomena. After all, it is an entity that originated from the Kraken. ¡¯This might be a far more serious issue than I thought.¡¯ In this case, Alice also felt the need to view Yu Sungjun¡¯s memories. Having made up her mind, Alice looked at Yu Parang with determined eyes. "Yes. I think it¡¯s necessary to see the memories of this World Government President." "Do you have any leads?" "I do, but it¡¯s a bit vague. I¡¯ll explain after reviewing the memories." "Got it. If you say so." Yu Parang placed her hand on Yu Sungjun¡¯s forehead. "Let¡¯s go in." Alice also held Yu Parang¡¯s hand. "Okay." With a splash, the consciousness of the two sank. Chapter 127 : And Then There Were None (5) Chapter 127 : And Then There Were None (5)EP.127 And Then There Were None (5) As soon as they entered Yoo Sungjun¡¯s memory, the first thing they saw was a dark stone chamber and an altar. A beam of white light descended from the center of the not-so-large dome-shaped ceiling, serving as illumination and giving the place a sacred feel. It resembled a temple from a dark fantasy game. Yoo Sungjun was kneeling on the stone floor in front of the altar, shirtless. His physique was impressively robust for someone in his fifties. Crackle¡ª Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª Surrounding him were people in various attire, from suits to casual wear, all holding carving knives and cutting into his flesh. They seemed to be inscribing words on Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body with his blood. ¡¯That person is...¡¯ Alice recognized two of them. They were famous figures. The black man in a neat suit was Arnold Carlson, the U.S. Secretary of State. In Yu Parang¡¯s homeland, he was akin to the President of the United States. Next to him was a woman with blonde hair, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather jacket¡ªBelle Brown, the North American Continental Director. Both were bigwigs of the World Government. This meant that the people surrounding Yoo Sungjun were all high-ranking officials of the World Government. Considering the overall context, it seemed Yoo Sungjun was being prepared as a sacrificial material for a ritual to raise the water level of the Monster Fish layer. The eerie yet somehow solemn atmosphere of the silent stone chamber, where only the sound of flesh being cut echoed, was unsettling. Alice, feeling slightly intimidated without realizing it, asked Yu Parang, "Is this footage from a few hours before his death?" "Hold on..." Yu Parang hesitated, unable to answer confidently. There was no particular reason, just that it was her first time diving into a memory. When Xiao handled it so smoothly, it seemed easy, but being the one entering the memory was quite different. This skill was surprisingly tricky to operate. Yu Parang, flustered by the complex and unintelligible interface before her eyes, began to sweat. She tried pressing various buttons, but nothing made sense. The scene before Alice and Yu Parang shifted erratically, stopping, speeding up, slowing down, rewinding, and even inverting colors. ?????~ It seemed they could even play background music. # Meanwhile, at Xiao¡¯s residence. "Huh?" She pulled out a bundle of papers that was sticking out awkwardly among the tightly packed books on her shelf. "This is..." - Dive Skill User Manual It was the user manual for ¡¯Dive¡¯ that she had personally written to send to Yu Parang. But finding it now in Xiao¡¯s bookshelf meant... ¡¯I must have forgotten to send it.¡¯ With everything being so hectic lately, Xiao often made such silly mistakes. ¡¯Maybe I should start meditating again.¡¯ She neatly wrapped the bundle of papers and asked someone to deliver it to Yu Parang. "Please send this to Yu Parang. Take a roundabout route." "Understood." "Thank you." ¡¯Well, it should be fine.¡¯ Xiao lay on her bed without much thought and turned on her phone. The screen displayed a community forum. [ Even on a second look, the necromancer sister is seriously gorgeous ] (The post was filled with Xiao¡¯s photos and GIFs. The author lamented that they would continue in the next post due to the image attachment limit.) - Could give the room master a good match ?? ? Didn¡¯t you lose to the room master? ??? ? (Gal!!!! Con) ? Using shadow clones is cheating, damn it. Prove it without using them. ? Why should the room master prove anything ??? They won even with personal seals. - (Worship Con) - Oceanos <- Do they hire based on looks? - I think Kyosun-ni is prettier Xiao scrolled through her photos with an embarrassed smile. Then, gasp! ¡¯This is, well... for review purposes...¡¯ Yes. A great warrior should always reflect on past battles. With a slightly flushed face, Xiao recommended the post. # Meanwhile, back with Yu Parang and Alice. "Phew. Found it." Finally, Yu Parang managed to find the pause button and timer and began examining the memory. "This is footage from 40 minutes before his death." "Isn¡¯t that too short?" "Exactly." Even the Slayers¡¯ bodies, which were not fully preserved, usually provided about 5 to 6 hours of memory. The memory from Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body was only 40 minutes long. ¡¯The exterior might be intact, but the inside is a complete mess.¡¯ "Once we gather all the necessary information, we might have to consider dissecting the body." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Parang muttered, examining the flowing memory. The process of carving tattoos into Yoo Sungjun¡¯s body was completed in about 20 minutes. It was already in the final stages when they entered the memory. ¡¯The problem is what happens next.¡¯ So far, the information obtained from Yoo Sungjun¡¯s memory was practically zero. They needed to find something informative from the events that occurred after the ritual was completed and before he was thrown into the sea. Fortunately for Yu Parang, something unexpected soon happened. After having the tattoos carved, Yoo Sungjun stood up and approached the altar, standing at attention in front of it. Upon closer inspection, there was a circular pattern engraved on the altar. Eight thick lines extended sinuously from the center. He took out a very small glass bottle from his pocket, and the liquid inside looked quite peculiar. Though it was clearly a liquid, it resembled colorful glass shards. Yu Parang thought she knew what that vibrant liquid was. "Elixir." Around this time, the World Government had deployed a special hunter unit to acquire the Elixir. They claimed it was to treat Yoo Sungjun¡¯s illness, but in reality, it was a material for this ritual. Yoo Sungjun, who had been quietly observing the beautiful liquid, suddenly smashed the bottle onto the altar. Crash!! With a clear, ringing sound, the glass shattered, scattering shards everywhere. The Elixir inside spilled onto the altar, soaking into it and flowing along the engraved pattern, coloring it in a spectrum of hues. Both Yu Parang and Alice held their breath as they watched the scene unfold. And finally, from the darkness, ¡¯it¡¯ appeared. Something approached from the corner opposite the altar, where the light had not reached, making it impossible to see what was there. A monster. Or could it even be called a monster? Could such an existence be simply labeled as a monster? Yu Parang sensed an aura similar to that of the Kraken from it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t on the same level as the Kraken or the Eyeball Monster. It was much, much lower in rank. But its composition was undoubtedly the same as the Kraken¡¯s. Just as the Kraken was an entity formed by countless Yu Parangs, this creature was formed by countless individuals of the same person, as Yu Parang immediately realized. If asked how she knew, it was intuition. Yu Parang¡¯s intuition. The very sensation she felt when she saw the Eyeball Monster. In the past, she dismissed it as mere intuition, but now Yu Parang thought she might understand what this feeling was. It was the Kraken within Yu Parang reacting. Whenever Yu Parang saw something related to the Kraken, it reacted to it. As the mass of black tentacles, resembling a sea urchin extending from the center, emerged into the light, a notification window appeared simultaneously before Yu Parang and Alice. [ Skill, ¡¯Waterproof Sanity¡¯ has been activated. ] [ Strongly resisting mental attacks. ] [ Status ailment, ¡¯Anthrophobia¡¯ has been reduced to ¡¯Dizziness¡¯. ] [ Artifact, ¡¯Oak Bracelet¡¯ effect has been activated. ] [ Resisting mental attacks at a normal level. ] [ Status ailment, ¡¯Dizziness¡¯ has been nullified. ] "Anthrophobia...!" Yu Parang sighed. It was the same status ailment that had affected the Green Tea Agent. So, was the mysterious entity that had been approaching from afar this creature? But it was clearly floating in the air. How could it make the sound of running? Yu Parang¡¯s curiosity was soon resolved. The center of the tentacles split open, revealing something that had taken shape inside. Another Yoo Sungjun, identical to the one standing in front of the altar. "As expected, but seeing it in person is even more grotesque." "Indeed." The only conclusion that could be drawn from the information gathered so far was one. A Kraken made of Yoo Sungjun existed at the heart of the World Government. "Damn it..." Yu Parang cursed. Finally, the tattooed Yoo Sungjun opened his mouth wide. The Yoo Sungjun on the opposite side reached out toward him. And then. Splat!!! A tentacle suddenly extended from his hand, plunging deep into the open mouth. "Gah, ugh, cough." The sound of tentacles thrashing around inside Yoo Sungjun, who couldn¡¯t breathe properly, was nauseating. "Ugh." Alice gagged in disgust. "No wonder the memory isn¡¯t intact. Damn it." Yu Parang cursed as well. Finally, when the internal damage reached a certain point, Yoo Sungjun¡¯s consciousness faded. He was dead. Chapter 128 : And Then There Were None (6) Chapter 128 : And Then There Were None (6)EP.128 And Then There Were None (6) "Whew..." Yu Parang sat down on the floor, holding her forehead, and let out a deep sigh. Her head throbbed. She wasn¡¯t sure what kind of trick had been played, but currently, at the top of the World Government, there existed a degraded version of the Kraken. Or, from another perspective, it might not even be a degraded version. The Kraken, made from Yoo Sungjun, was functioning perfectly well outside of water. Moreover, it seemed to possess a certain level of self-awareness. To begin with, it¡¯s uncertain if it can even be called a Kraken. Since the Kraken was created by overlapping countless timelines of Yu Parang, perhaps the monster made by overlapping countless timelines of Yoo Sungjun is also a type of Kraken¡ªor so Yu Parang concluded on her own. If you consider the distinct characteristics that contrast with the Kraken, it might just be a completely different entity created in a similar way. ¡¯There¡¯s just not enough information.¡¯ Even though Silo Corporation provided a wealth of information and she directly saw Yoo Sungjun¡¯s memories, there were still too many uncertainties. As always, there was only one thing Yu Parang could be sure of. The upcoming battle would be long, chaotic, unsettling, and difficult, just like always. But fortunately, Yu Parang¡¯s resolve had reached a state similar to unyielding steel. Chop-chop¡ª She washed her face with her hands and looked ahead with determined eyes, as she always did. Whatever stood in her way, she would crush it. Whether it was the World Government or Yoo Sungjun, she would defeat them all, move forward, and finally get rid of that grotesque eyeball. Yu Parang glanced at Alice, who was lying sprawled next to her. Alice seemed to be trying to piece together the information she knew with what she had just seen, as she lay there with a serious expression, lost in thought. It was a habit of Alice¡¯s. She claimed her mind worked better when she pondered while lying down. In fact, Alice often lay like that for a long time and then came up with some brilliant idea. Though sometimes she fell asleep in the process, so the success rate wasn¡¯t guaranteed. ¡¯I hope she doesn¡¯t fall asleep like that...¡¯ There was no way to wake her up midway. Yu Parang, with a slightly awkward expression, decided to leave Alice alone for now. # Of course, Alice wasn¡¯t asleep. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her head, resting on the stone floor, was already spinning rapidly, as if the hardness didn¡¯t bother her. In her mind, countless futures, presents, and pasts were intertwining and unraveling repeatedly. In fact, she had already roughly found the answer to why the World Government ended up in such a state¡ªwhy Yoo Sungjun became a Kraken-like entity. ¡¯Such a being can¡¯t just appear on land.¡¯ No matter how that eyeball monster killed the Kraken and wielded incomprehensible power, it couldn¡¯t have done it alone. If that were possible, it wouldn¡¯t have dragged things out this far. It would have just destroyed the Earth as soon as the timeline began. So, there¡¯s only one possibility left. ¡¯There¡¯s someone who knew everything from the start and guided its creation.¡¯ Something was orchestrated on land, not under the sea. The person behind it was too obvious. There was only one. It was so evident that as soon as Yu Parang mentioned, "The World Government¡¯s actions are strange," Alice immediately thought of his name. "Han Siwoo." The person aware of the world¡¯s regression and the identity of the eyeball monster and the Kraken. The person who could approach Yoo Sungjun at any time. After all, the World Government witnessed the eyeball monster through the camera attached to Han Siwoo¡¯s body. Probably, even in Yu Parang and Silo Corporation¡¯s investigation, he would be the most implicated individual in this situation. Almost 100%, one could say. ¡¯The reason they can¡¯t make a definitive conclusion is obviously due to a lack of decisive evidence.¡¯ While they could deduce Han Siwoo¡¯s deep involvement, they wouldn¡¯t have found evidence that he intentionally orchestrated the World Government¡¯s current situation. < It¡¯s entirely possible that Yoo Sungjun, driven mad by seeing the eyeball monster, summoned a pseudo-Kraken. > There are countless other suspicious individuals besides Han Siwoo. So how can Alice be so sure Han Siwoo is the culprit? Well, that¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? She has the most crucial piece of information that Yu Parang doesn¡¯t. Alice easily succeeded in almost perfectly deducing the origin, development, and current situation of the World Government. # Let¡¯s turn back time a bit, to a past neither too distant nor too close. This story takes place in March 2022, about two and a half years ago from the current point. Let¡¯s take a look at the general situation back then. First, on land. Han Siwoo was progressing through the latter part of the original story. He was reigning as the undisputed hero of the world and the pinnacle of humanity. He was stabilizing the Earth and conceptualizing organizations like the World Government and Silo Corporation, preparing for battles against otherworldly beings like demons or gods. Meanwhile, at sea, Yu Parang and her companions were frantically scouring the oceans to find the kidnapped Alice. In the process, countless monster fish were slaughtered, and the ecosystem of the East Sea Hive was on the brink of collapse. As a side note, the reason the second chamber of the East Sea Hive is now teeming with parasitic monster fish is because of this. Alice had made a daring escape from Atlantis in Hawaii, relocated to the bottom of the Mariana Hive, and spent three months there, using her power and knowledge to seek ways to combat great evil and apocalypse. On the surface, it seemed like there was no connection between the land and sea at this point, but surprisingly, there was. Just as Silo Corporation reached out to Yu Parang, someone from the land reached out to Alice as well. That person was Han Siwoo. Han Siwoo suddenly approached Alice a month after she settled in the Mariana Hive and proposed cooperation. If described like this, it might seem like a typical ¡¯meeting between a regressor and an ordinary person,¡¯ but in reality, it wasn¡¯t. That is to say, there wasn¡¯t a scene where Alice, surprised by Han Siwoo¡¯s sudden appearance, asked, "How did you find me?" and Han Siwoo calmly replied, "I¡¯ll tell you the truth of the world now." Rather, it was closer to the opposite. Han Siwoo appeared before Alice with a face that looked like it might explode at any moment, muttering lines like "This can¡¯t be..." and "This is impossible...," while Alice simply glared at him with a calm and cold expression. Well, regardless of how their first meeting went, they established a secret cooperative relationship on the spot. Their purpose was singular: the salvation of the world. No lengthy explanations were needed. There will likely be more opportunities to elaborate on their first meeting later. Anyway, the spring of 2022 was about two months after Han Siwoo and Alice formed their secret alliance. That day, as usual, they were sitting across from each other in the very stone chamber where Yu Parang and Alice were now, diligently planning. At that time, Alice¡¯s ¡¯ability to see the flow¡¯ hadn¡¯t fully blossomed, so they had to make plans based on a vague outcome they needed to reach. Let¡¯s take a peek at their conversation from back then. "Then, the organization to support Yu Parang will be..." Alice spoke while looking at the densely written words carved into a makeshift table made from a lifted stone floor. The words on the table were divided into two sections, summarizing the advantages of having either Silo Corporation or the World Government support Yu Parang. "It seems like Silo is a much better choice. The government might be helpful, but Silo can provide too much assistance in the Ascension process." At her words, Han Siwoo, sitting across from her, nodded. "I think so too. Let¡¯s go with that. Then, on the other hand, the government should..." "Yes. It should act as a trial for Yu Parang. A wall she must overcome with all her might." "And while doing so, it should allow Yu Parang to grow and maintain the world in a normal state?" "Exactly." "Alright. Then leave that part to me. It¡¯s something I have to do anyway." "¡­Okay. I¡¯m not entirely confident, but it¡¯s not an area I can interfere with. Let¡¯s move on to the next topic." # ¡¯I never imagined that when he said he had a plan, it would be something like this.¡¯ He probably used a method like injecting his own blood into Yoo Sungjun or something similar. Blood can be considered to contain the core of an awakened being. The blood of a regressor might have acted as a catalyst when in contact with that eyeball. There must have been countless other methods, but the reason he chose such a path was also understandable. It was likely to give Yu Parang a practice run against something similar to what she would face. Considering how things have unfolded according to the discussions from that day, one could say Han Siwoo has been diligently fulfilling his role. Using such an extreme method, knowing this was the last chance, implies he had his reasons. ¡¯A past successful experience.¡¯ He must have set up and executed a similar plan in one of the previous iterations. And he must have obtained a favorable result. The problem is that the method involved turning the entire World Government into a den of monsters. Truly, it¡¯s a way of handling things befitting a regressor. ¡¯Alright. I¡¯ve roughly grasped the situation.¡¯ In conclusion, the reason Alice is currently pondering isn¡¯t because she hasn¡¯t figured out the truth of the current situation. It¡¯s because the truth is something that absolutely cannot be revealed to Yu Parang. ¡¯How do I package this...¡¯ Alice squeezed her eyes shut. Chapter 129 : Yay! A Shortcut! (1) Chapter 129 : Yay! A Shortcut! (1)EP.129 Yay! A Shortcut! (1) Alice glanced sideways at Yu Parang, who was deep in thought. Through a series of deductions, she had figured out what had happened with the World Government. ¡®Han Siwoo planted something in Yoo Sungjun, then made him witness the eyeball monster, which triggered a reaction that resulted in the birth of a low-level Kraken... That¡¯s the gist of it.¡¯ The problem was that Alice couldn¡¯t reveal this truth to Yu Parang. Yu Parang must not know that Han Siwoo was still alive, or that Alice was collaborating with him. If she found out, she would undoubtedly try to find Han Siwoo, and if they finally met... ¡®Parang would remember everything.¡¯ Yes, literally all her memories. It was a process she would have to go through eventually, but not now. Their meeting had to be postponed until Yu Parang grew enough to forgive Han Siwoo. So Alice had to hide the root of the events happening within the World Government from Yu Parang. Alice ended up telling another lie to her dear friend. "¡­I watched it all, but honestly, I don¡¯t get it. The existence of something similar to a Kraken within the World Government is beyond my understanding." Her heart ached. It wasn¡¯t just the guilt of lying. It was a deeper, more persistent feeling. Guiding Yu Parang down a path by hiding the truth and lying to her made Alice feel guilty. Of course, there wasn¡¯t a single impure motive behind her actions, so technically, Alice had no reason to feel guilty. Yet, her heart showed no signs of easing. The feeling of manipulating and using someone precious. It was quite unpleasant. "Looks like you don¡¯t know everything either." For that reason, Alice¡¯s expression as she replied to Yu Parang couldn¡¯t even be called a joke. "Yeah. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of more help." Yu Parang¡¯s eyes held a mysterious light as she looked at Alice. "No, just seeing this person¡¯s memories was a significant gain." Saying so, she approached the small Capulus floating in the corner of the stone chamber. Soon, the sound of a warp activating filled the air, and Yu Parang vanished from the stone chamber. Left alone, Alice quietly gazed around the empty stone chamber, then stood up and slowly walked to the center. Like a butterfly landing on a leaf, she gently sat down and leaned her body on the cold stone floor. She should have felt the hard, cold stone beneath her, but Alice felt nothing. She had lost her sense of touch long ago. Alice¡¯s eyes slowly closed. ¡®Just a little rest, just a little.¡¯ And with that, she fell asleep. # After leaving Alice¡¯s place and returning home, Yu Parang¡¯s time flew by in the blink of an eye. Of course, she hadn¡¯t rested. She was busy sharing what she saw in Yoo Sungjun¡¯s memories with Silo Corporation and Oceanos, discussing and preparing countermeasures. Thus, a week passed in the blink of an eye. Finally, the morning of that day arrived. The third day of the Undersea Hunter Grade Exam. It was the day of Yu Parang¡¯s broadcast. "Alright¡­" With a thickly packed backpack on her back, she stretched in front of the entrance. It felt refreshing. With that, she was ready to leave the house! She headed to the pier with light steps. It was less than 20 meters from the front door to the sea. Anyway, it felt good to be light on her feet. "Hop!" Yu Parang jumped into the water, letting the sea embrace her. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of the bubbly water wrapping around her body... Then, with a tremendous speed, she surged forward, diving rapidly. Her destination was Busan. Estimated arrival time... ¡®About 20 minutes should be enough.¡¯ She had more time than she thought. # Splash, splash¡ª With the sound of water splashing, Yu Parang arrived at a pier in Busan. Thanks to the arrangements made by Silo Corporation, she was the only one at the pier. This was to prevent a crowd from gathering before the official broadcast started. The empty pier, so desolate it seemed almost barren, had a rather bleak atmosphere. ¡®Did they really need to go this far?¡¯ Yu Parang still didn¡¯t fully grasp her own popularity. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t. She only saw the chat messages on the screen every day, never experiencing it firsthand. Yu Parang was having a rather carefree concern. Fortunately, Silo Corporation, acting as Yu Parang¡¯s supporter, had a much better grasp of reality than she did, preventing her carefree attitude from turning into a disaster. Rummage, rummage¡ª Yu Parang rummaged through her large bag and pulled out something black to wrap around herself. It was an artifact gifted to her by Silo Corporation. [Concealment Cloak] [Category: Artifact] [Grade: S] [A mysterious cloak that hides the user¡¯s appearance and presence. It¡¯s classic and clich¨¦, but that¡¯s what makes it timeless.] [Granted Options] [General] [Protection: Protects the user from external physical impacts.] [Durability: Resists breaking, tearing, or crushing from physical impacts.] [Special] [Concealment: Hides the user¡¯s appearance and presence, making it seem as if they aren¡¯t there.] ¡®This should do it.¡¯ With the cloak roughly draped around her, Yu Parang set off for her destination. # Yu Parang stopped in front of a massive building, a little distance from the pier. This was the Undersea Hunter Grade Exam Hall, ¡®Blue Sea Hall,¡¯ built right by the sea in Busan, almost like Yu Parang¡¯s own home. The contrast between the large white building and the colorful crowd gathered around it created an image reminiscent of an ink painting. ¡®They weren¡¯t kidding when they said they were promoting it with their lives on the line.¡¯ People entering for the exam, those coming out after taking it, friends and family cheering them on. People with cameras talking about something, broadcasting crews, street vendors, and just onlookers. A myriad of people gathered, chatting noisily, creating a scene that could only be described as a bustling marketplace. "Those who have arrived, please come this way to collect your exam tickets!!" The surprising thing was how well-organized the large crowd was. ¡®Well, maybe that¡¯s to be expected.¡¯ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unlike on her home planet, here, the ones organizing the lines were Hunters. Who would dare cut in line, not knowing what might happen? Yu Parang was slightly startled by the crowd, which was larger than she had anticipated. The cloak she wore felt reassuring. After observing the bustling crowd for a while, Yu Parang moved away and headed to the back of the building. The back of Blue Sea Hallwas a sheer coastal cliff, strictly off-limits to non-staff for safety reasons. "Hello." "Ah, Hunter Yu Parang, it¡¯s an honor to meet you." "Thank you." Of course, Yu Parang was staff, so she could enter freely. There was no way she would line up with the crowd to get an exam ticket. Beep¡ª Clang. Creak¡ª Opening the thick iron door marked with the ominous words [No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel], a stark corridor was revealed. "I¡¯ll guide you to the waiting room." Following the staff member who let her through, Yu Parang walked down the corridor, asking questions she was curious about. "How many high-grade Hunters have emerged? I¡¯ve heard the exam is quite challenging." Challenging indeed. Yu Parang knew this better than anyone, as she had been directly and heavily involved in setting the questions for the high-grade Hunter exams, especially those for S-grade and above. "Surprisingly, quite a few high-grade Hunters have emerged. Globally, there are already a significant number of people who have passed the A-grade, and six have passed the S-grade. Moreover, yesterday, a Hunter passed the SS-grade exam in Sydney." "Oh¡­" A Hunter who could pass the SS-grade exam was immediately capable of being deployed to coastal defenses against Monster fish. Yu Parang was pleased with the progress, which was smoother than she had anticipated. ¡®Since Silo Corporation has done so much, I must do my part well from my position.¡¯ Yu Parang felt a renewed sense of determination. "You can rest here until the time we informed you of earlier, then head down to the lobby on the first floor." "Ah, thank you." With that, the staff member closed the door and left, leaving Yu Parang alone in the cozy waiting room. "¡­Phew¡­" Yu Parang sat quietly in the waiting room, nibbling on a Lotus biscuit that had been prepared in advance. She appeared calm on the outside, but her hands were trembling slightly. ¡®You can do it, Yu Parang¡­ You can do it¡­!¡¯ What she felt was extreme nervousness and anxiety. ¡®Just do what you¡¯ve always done. It¡¯s just a different location.¡¯ Why was she so nervous? Well, it was obvious. ¡®When you¡¯re ready, head down to the lobby on the first floor.¡¯ ¡®To the lobby on the first floor.¡¯ ¡®First floor lobby.¡¯ Today, she had to stand in front of a camera, out of the water. Chapter 130 : Yay! A Shortcut! (2) Chapter 130 : Yay! A Shortcut! (2)EP.130 Yay! A Shortcut! (2) Yu Parang is a lot like a fish. Not in terms of appearance, but in her behavior. Just compare ¡¯Yu Parang in water¡¯ and ¡¯Yu Parang out of water,¡¯ and you¡¯ll understand what this means. Parang is terrible at communication outside of water. To be precise, she has severe stage fright, which is a critical flaw for a broadcaster. In the water, she can joke around and handle unexpected situations with grace, but once she¡¯s out of the water, she becomes as limp and helpless as an octopus pulled up on a fishing line. Parang has only stood in front of the camera outside of water twice: during her first broadcast and when exploring the Bermuda Hive. Both are the most embarrassing moments she¡¯d like to erase, yet they¡¯re also her most well-known videos. As a result, anyone who knows Parang is aware that she¡¯s not at her best outside of water. This is why she starts and ends almost all her broadcasts underwater. But today is different. Today¡¯s broadcast theme is ¡¯Conquering the Undersea Hunter Rank Exams.¡¯ Since you can¡¯t take all the exams from D-rank to SSS-rank in one place, she inevitably has to move from one exam site to another. And she can¡¯t just stay silent while moving around, which means she has to speak outside of water. Dragging a portable tank around a crowded exam site isn¡¯t feasible, and it would look ridiculous. Some might argue, "Why not just pre-record the exams and upload the footage later? Does it have to be live?" Unfortunately, this broadcast must be live. There are several reasons, but the main one is to eliminate any suspicion of manipulation. The Undersea Hunter Rank Exams have a significant issue pointed out since their planning stage. [ Damn, is this S-rank exam even humanly possible? ] [78] [ Breaking news: The world¡¯s only SS-rank passer gives up on the SSS-rank exam in just 1 minute and 30 seconds ] [109] [ Of course, the Association is at it again, those bastards ] [67] The problem is that the difficulty is excessively high. The exams aim to recruit personnel to defend the coastline against emerging monster fish, so the exam questions reflect the actual abilities of these creatures. As a result, the difficulty skyrockets from A-rank exams onward, making them vastly different from other Hunter exams. In short, they¡¯re insanely difficult. It¡¯s no surprise that there are complaints about the excessive difficulty. There was even a live broadcast of the only person in the world to pass the SS-rank exam, Australian Hunter Toby Drinkwater, failing miserably at the SSS-rank exam. When controversy over difficulty arises, more people give up before even trying than those who attempt out of spite. There¡¯s a risk that the project, which has been launched with all available resources, might fail spectacularly. Therefore, the Hunter Association and Silo Corporation need to prove that the exams are ¡¯doable.¡¯ Fortunately, they anticipated this situation and planned to address the issue through Parang¡¯s broadcast. They needed to eliminate any suspicion of manipulation from the start, leading to the decision to conduct Parang¡¯s broadcast as an unedited live stream. Of course, Parang¡¯s opinion was taken into account. If she had been vehemently opposed, things might have been different, but she agreed to some extent, allowing this situation to unfold. Why did Parang agree? Well, it¡¯s hard to define her mindset when she accepted the proposal. Perhaps she felt she couldn¡¯t keep avoiding it. Or maybe she decided it was something she had to do. Or perhaps she accepted without any particular reason. Her emotions were so mixed that it was hard to distinguish them. However, the direction was clear: "Proceed with the broadcast." In the end, the conclusion can be summed up simply. Just look at Parang¡¯s current state. Thump. Thump. ¡¯Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm...¡¯ Thump. Thump. Parang held the handle of a thick steel fire door with one hand, while the other rested on her anxious chest as she tapped her foot. Opening this heavy door would mean facing the crowd. Thump. Thump. Outside, the host¡¯s voice buzzed through the microphone, likely introducing Yu Parang. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Parang¡¯s hand on the doorknob trembled. This was a moment she had to face eventually. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. She couldn¡¯t hide in the water forever, not until she quit broadcasting. She knew it in her head, but moving her body was another matter. Thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud The long piece of metal in her grip felt heavier than any whale. Finally, the host said something loudly outside the door, and thunderous applause erupted. Thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud She instinctively knew. Now was the moment for Parang to open the door and make her entrance. ¡¯Huh?¡¯ As she realized this, something surprising happened to Parang. Her heart, which had been pounding as if it would burst, suddenly calmed. Her mind, once a stormy sea, became as serene as a beach with gentle waves. And in the middle of that beach stood a figure facing her. Purple hair, purple eyes. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was Alice. As soon as she recognized Alice¡¯s figure in her mind, Parang understood the source of her sudden change. ¡¯Yeah. Whatever. I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡¯ She carried a Kraken inside her, was about to face a global organization head-on, and later had to defeat a monster threatening to destroy this world across timelines. How could someone like that be unable to handle a simple broadcast outside of water? Parang learned from Alice the art of ¡¯acceptance.¡¯ A mindset that neither exaggerates nor minimizes the situation. A calm acceptance of reality, as it is. Combined with Parang¡¯s inherent ¡¯do-it-when-it-needs-to-be-done¡¯ attitude, it created a perfect synergy. ¡¯Okay. Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ Parang confidently opened the fire door and stepped forward with determination. Beyond the door was a makeshift stage, like something out of a movie premiere or variety show. A carpet was laid out from the door to the stage, and as she walked along it, photographers in the front row snapped photos and flashed their cameras. "Ugh..." Unaccustomed to such attention, Parang shielded her eyes, and soon she heard the voices of what she assumed were guards controlling the photographers. Miraculously, the barrage of flashes aimed at Parang abruptly stopped. In her home world, such a scene would be unthinkable, but in this world, it¡¯s common. The difference? In this world, the guards are superhumans. For Parang, it was a fortunate turn of events. She continued to walk confidently (though not really) and stood beside the host, taking the microphone. Before her was a large crowd, all eyes fixed solely on Parang. It felt like a press conference. The host glanced at Parang, noticing she wasn¡¯t as nervous as expected, and continued the proceedings. "Yes, we¡¯ve invited Yu Parang, the hunter who¡¯s become a hot topic both in and out of water. Welcome." The host¡¯s tone was slightly stiff, reminiscent of an interview scene from a college entrance exam passage. That awkwardness amused Parang a bit, ironically easing her tension. "Hello, I¡¯m Yu Parang, a B-rank hunter and streaming hunter. Ahem. Yu Parang." Her voice trembled slightly, and her tongue got a bit tied, but she managed to speak coherently. Some in the audience looked at her with pride, others with surprise. No one showed a negative reaction. It was to be expected. Everyone present had been carefully selected by Silo Corporation as Yu Parang¡¯s fans. Of course, some Silo personnel were discreetly mixed in. Parang didn¡¯t know this, but it was a good thing nonetheless. Surprisingly, the live broadcast proceeded smoothly. There were minor issues, like unintended lisping or off-key notes, but nothing serious enough to halt the broadcast. A remarkable improvement indeed. "Yes, we¡¯ve had a brief chat with Yu Parang. Now, she¡¯ll take the mic and showcase her skills as she conquers the Undersea Hunter Rank Exams. I¡¯m your host, Choi Jaeyoung. Thank you!" As thunderous applause erupted, the woman standing on the beach in Parang¡¯s heart also clapped for her. The soft, serene sound of that applause gently soothed Parang¡¯s pounding heart. "You did well. You¡¯ve worked hard." It felt as if a warm, gentle voice whispered in her ear. Chapter 131 : Star Instructor Yu Parang (1) Chapter 131 : Star Instructor Yu Parang (1)EP.131 Star Instructor Yu Parang (1) The standard Hunter ranking exams and the Undersea Hunter ranking exams differ significantly in their operational systems. Naturally, this is because the exams were established to recruit personnel willing to venture into the sea for battles. Typically, Hunter exams are divided by specialty and held on different days of the week. For example, the crafting Hunter exam is on Monday, and the assassination Hunter exam is on Tuesday. Each week, only one class of exams is held at the designated testing site. The first week is for the C-rank promotion exam, the second week for the B-rank, and so on. This means if you fail an exam, you must wait a month to retake the same exam. However, if the Undersea Hunters followed this schedule, the Monster fish would surely rise before they could recruit enough Hunters. Thus, the Hunter Association drastically shortened the Undersea Hunter exams. Like an unmanned convenience store where customers come in, buy what they need, and leave, anyone wanting to take the Undersea Hunter exam can buy a ticket and take the desired exam without waiting. Accordingly, the Hunter Association categorized the testing buildings in each city by section, with each section responsible for one exam, allowing all promotion exams to be conducted simultaneously. Inside the building, sections for written exams, C-rank, B-rank, and A-rank are located, while the sea outside is divided into sections for S, SS, and SSS-rank exams. Given these differences, it was only natural for Yu Parang to conduct a comprehensive tour of the building. "Alright, let¡¯s get started." Yu Parang began with a slightly nervous voice. As she moved with somewhat heavy steps, three drones followed her for filming. Two were for broadcasting, and one was for monitoring. "The Hunter is on the move." "Start the live broadcast." Inside the control tower installed at the testing site, people busily moved around, and the drones began broadcasting, finally bringing the live stream to viewers¡¯ monitors. - It¡¯s on! - Open the door, open the door, open the door - Go Yu Parang! - Hunter Association, get your act together! - How bored do you have to be to watch this crap? - The world government is brainwashing people right now, the world government is brainwashing people right now - Check out the latest hot video NaNri H0!T ->> (hyperlink) The chat was chaotic from the start, filled with people eager to prove they could type nonsense. Since the broadcast wasn¡¯t on Yu Parang¡¯s channel but the official Hunter Association channel, the chat was particularly unruly. As expected, both Silo Corporation and the Hunter Association quickly deployed AI cleaners and part-time moderators to ruthlessly block the chaos as soon as the broadcast began. Yu Parang wasn¡¯t shown the chat, to begin with. Thanks to this, Yu Parang could proceed with the broadcast relatively smoothly without mental strain. "If you follow the arrows from the entrance straight ahead, you¡¯ll reach the written exam section." From the outside, it seemed incredibly crowded, with people swarming like clouds, but inside, the density wasn¡¯t as high. This allowed Yu Parang to comfortably navigate the interior of the testing site. The interior of the testing site had an airport-like atmosphere. It was spacious, clean, and predominantly white, much like an airport. Walking through the wide hall and ascending to the second floor, she was greeted by a large electronic sign on the ceiling that read [Section C]. After observing the bustling crowd moving through the gate-like entrance resembling an airport¡¯s immigration gate, Yu Parang turned right. There, the camera captured a corridor leading to [Section T], shyly attached next to the massive entrance of Section C. It looked so unassuming that, without a sign, one might mistake it for a restroom corridor. In fact, there was a path to the restroom right next to it. "This Section T is where you take the written exam." Yu Parang explained as she walked down the corridor. "As you know, unlike practical exams, the written exam doesn¡¯t differentiate by specialty. This standard applies to the Undersea Hunter ranking exams as well. If you have a certificate from the existing Hunter Association¡¯s written exam, you can skip this section by submitting your documents at the ticket office." That¡¯s roughly how it is. The written exam isn¡¯t a big deal; it¡¯s designed to determine if a person is truly capable of handling supernatural powers. It¡¯s meant to filter out those who, instead of hunting Monsters, might harm others, so anyone with a normal mindset can pass. "If you follow this corridor, you¡¯ll find a kiosk where you can print the written exam paper. Present your ID, print the exam paper, and then insert it into the grading machine... Oh." Yu Parang suddenly stopped speaking as she calmly continued her explanation. A restroom pictogram, glowing in red and blue, appeared before her. "...I took the wrong turn. Sorry about that." Her face turned bright red as she hurriedly turned back towards Section C. # The C-rank and B-rank promotion exams passed without much impact. This was because these exams didn¡¯t include an assessment of combat abilities. They only checked factors like whether you could move underwater, breathe, withstand water pressure, and maintain visibility, without requiring actual combat. - The difficulty is like an S-rank from other specialties, even without combat - I was shocked watching the obstacle course earlier - Whose brilliant idea was it to give only 10 minutes for a 2km swim? "So, to actually do Hunter-like work underwater, you need to pass the exam in this A-section." Yu Parang had arrived at the A-section on the first floor of the testing site. "The A-section is where they test your combat abilities. Passing the exam here earns you an A-rank Undersea Hunter license." The A-section was incomparably larger than the C and B sections she had passed through. "70% of the building¡¯s first-floor area is used for the A-section testing site." Yu Parang presented the B-rank Undersea Hunter license she received earlier at the B-section to the staff at the entrance. The staff scanned it with a machine, much like a passport at an airport, and wished her luck as they opened the door. The Hunter license Yu Parang received back had three new numbers printed on it. They were 4, 7, and 19. Yu Parang showed it to the filming drone and explained. "The combat ability assessment exam for A-rank is conducted using the ¡¯Monster Pack¡¯ method." ¡¯Monster Pack¡¯ is a problem-setting method favored by the Hunter Association. Through expert analysis, they create combinations of hostile creatures with appropriate difficulty, bundle them into packs, and randomly select one pack for the exam. "Currently, 50 packs are used in the A-section exam. Among them, 20 packs include Monster fish." Yu Parang gestured in the air as she explained. It might look crazy to those unaware, but the broadcast screen would display appropriate visual aids through CG. "For Monster fish, since live capture is impossible, we use the V5 system." The V5 system is a masterpiece of the Victoria Company, a major corporation before Silo Corporation, essentially a hologram capable of exerting physical force. How it was developed remains a mystery until the conclusion of the original story. In any case, Yu Parang boldly entered the A-section testing area. - Wow, the atmosphere is intense - It¡¯s a bit intimidating;; The interior of the A-section was quite... eerie. It looked like an enormous swimming pool covering the entire vast space. Apart from the desk at the entrance and the grid-like walls installed in the water to separate the testing chambers, there was nowhere to stand. Moreover, the water was so deep that the bottom was completely invisible. It felt like something massive might emerge from below at any moment. - I think I¡¯ve seen this on TTube - Oh, that horror game - Yeah, that game is terrifying The structure was indeed partially inspired by that horror game. However, unlike the horror game, the A-section had many other candidates, so the atmosphere wasn¡¯t as grim. Yu Parang approached the desk and handed her Undersea Hunter license with the printed numbers to the staff. The staff took it, entered something into the computer, and assigned her a spot. "Please proceed to chamber C5-D2. Good luck with your exam. Here¡¯s the key you¡¯ll need for the exam." "Thank you." Yu Parang took the cylindrical device handed by the staff and left the desk. She walked over the grid-like submerged square rooms, searching for her assigned spot. Occasionally, she saw chambers where exams were underway, and it seemed the ceiling closed when the exam began. Fortunately, despite the vast space, the chambers had intuitive coordinates, making it easy to find her spot. Yu Parang climbed onto the wall of her assigned chamber and dived inside. "The Hunter has entered the water." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes. Switching the screen." The broadcast screen switched to an underwater camera, clearly showing Yu Parang¡¯s current location. She was in a cubic space with each side measuring about 100 meters. Except for the open top and the massive monitor occupying the front wall, all sides and the floor were finished with white tiles, creating a rather eerie atmosphere. Yu Parang showed the camera the instruction panel conveniently attached to one wall of the chamber. "You insert the key received at the counter into this hole. Then, packs will appear in the chamber, starting with the lower difficulty ones." When Yu Parang inserted the cylindrical key with a click, a warning sound beeped, and the chamber floor began to split open. Simultaneously, text appeared on the enormous monitor at the front. [Detected Pack 4. Deploying 2 .]