The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 328: The Shadowless King of the Black Sea (3)

[The long-standing feud between the Stag Beetle Tribe and the Rhinoceros Beetle Tribe has resulted in numerous casualties. We gathered the remains of the fallen warriors to construct a ship, which was so lightweight and sturdy that it could sail on the surface of the Black Sea. However, it ultimately sank due to disputes over ownership…]

“Why exactly did it sink?”

[Th-there… one day, a group of rebel warriors seized the ship and set sail… but as they crossed the heart of the Black Sea…]

Vikir recalled his conversation with the rebel warriors.

Before diving into the abyss of the Black Sea, the rebel warriors had warned Vikir about several things, tales that an ordinary challenger wouldn’t believe.

[We encountered a monster.]

“You’re monsters yourselves.”

[It was… it was beyond that. A primordial creature that has dwelled here since time immemorial… no matter how sturdy a ship may be, crossing the Black Sea while it lurks beneath the depths would be foolish.]

Listening, it seemed being trapped in the depths of the Black Sea’s fourth level wasn’t solely due to the storms encircling the region.

And Vikir was now witnessing firsthand that their words held truth.

Tsutsutsutsu…

A looming darkness before Vikir’s eyes.

It seemed like a chunk of the abyss had detached itself and was independently drifting.

But upon closer inspection, it was evident that it was a translucent mass piercing through the darkness on the other side.

A hemisphere with an unimaginably large diameter.

It had a translucent and viscous body, with countless tentacles dangling below as it approached from the depths.

An entity drifting aimlessly in the profound darkness of the abyss, its body tinged with the darkness of the deep sea, floating in an impenetrable emptiness where not even an inch ahead was visible.

[The Shadowless King of the Black Sea]

Threat Level: S

Size: ?

Discovery Location: The “Great Abyss” of the “Black Sea,” one of the Five Oceans of the Extreme Hell

– Commonly known as the “Shadowless King of the Black Sea” or the “Core of Darkness”

A large jellyfish species inhabiting the Black Sea, one of the five oceans existing in the demon realm.

Residing in the depths of the Great Abyss, a region even high-ranking demons avoid, its ecology remains largely unknown.

Even where this creature came from, where it is going, and why it floats in the void of emptiness, all remain unknown.

“The Shadowless King of the Black Sea”

The intimidation emanating from this giant jellyfish is as threatening as ‘Madam Eight Legs’.

“…Hmm, this one might be beyond even the control of Amdusias’ power?”

Vikir pondered for a moment.

The familiar Bloodsoaked Jade Flower from the previous stage was in a state of intense agitation due to prolonged captivity.

Moreover, the demon Amdusias himself is inherently friendly to plants, so it wouldn’t have been too difficult to control Bloodsoaked Jade Flower. However, the Shadowless King of the Black Sea before him was different.

This creature is an absolute powerhouse, akin to Madam Eight Legs fought before. Even if it’s a creature of lower intellect, at this point, it’s unlikely to be unilaterally controlled by a demon. Essentially, the giant jellyfish before Vikir is an autonomous inhabitant of this place, not subject to Amdusias’ influence.

Hence, there was a high likelihood that capturing it would yield little reward.

Then, suddenly…

Shiriririk…

Vikir felt a tickle on his cheek for a moment. Instinctively, he jerked his head back, and a translucent tentacle swept past him.

Crack!

The tentacle initially seemed to stick weakly to a nearby rock but soon shattered it with tremendous force.

“It suddenly got more difficult.”

Vikir quickly stepped back, simultaneously drawing his demonic sword, Beelzebub.

Swish…

As he swung the sword randomly, he felt the impact from several strikes. Three tentacles were severed and gracefully descended to the ground.

“It was lurking around silently.”

Moreover, being translucent, it was barely visible.

Vikir narrowed his eyes, exerting extra focus. He noticed three severed tentacles subtly retreating.

Squelch, squelch, squelch…

New tentacles sprouted from the ends of the severed ones.

Seems like it has regeneration abilities.

“In that case…”

Vikir infused strength into the tip of Beelzebub.

…Slice!

Once again, a tentacle lurking behind him was swiftly cleaved by Vikir’s strike. However, this time, the severed tentacle didn’t regenerate. It simply withered and shriveled up.

Observing this, Vikir lightly tapped the blade of Beelzebub.

“It’s handy for the moment.”

The ability to desiccate the jellyfish’s tentacles was a relatively recent acquisition.

Beelzebub

– Slot 1: Deadly Poison – Madam Eight Legs (S)

– Slot 2: Invincible – Basilisk (S)

– Slot 3: Drought – Bloodsoaked Jade Flower (S)

The ability “Drought,” obtained by capturing Bloodsoaked Jade Flower. With the power of drought, Beelzebub evaporated massive amounts of moisture each time it grazed the jellyfish’s tentacles. The moisture-sapped tentacles shriveled up as if being roasted over a fire.

Whoosh!

The Shadowless King of the Black Sea, instead of approaching Vikir, began to whip its tentacles, creating a massive storm.

“Is this creature responsible for the waves on the surface?”

The raging currents, propelled by the massive jellyfish, formed whirlpools as they spewed out twisted tentacles. The heavy currents rotated like saw blades, inflicting wounds on Vikir’s skin.

…Splash! Grind!

Vikir’s flesh was torn apart by countless blades, leaving him battered and bruised. However, thanks to the ability “Invincible” extracted from the Basilisk’s corpse, Vikir managed to regenerate most of his body. Additionally, the copious amount of blood spilled from Vikir flowed around the Shadowless King of the Black Sea, which darkened as the venom from Madam Eight Legs spread.

In the midst of this, Vikir wielded Decarabia like a surfboard.

…Swirl!

Riding atop the fierce currents, Vikir surged forward. He was heading towards the sunken ship.

Decarabia asked curiously,

[Human! There’s no chance against that jellyfish! With your current condition, it’s futile!]

“I know.”

[Then why are you heading towards that ship? With your strength, it’s impossible to salvage it!]

Exactly.

With a colossal ghost ship ahead and the Shadowless King of the Black Sea behind, Vikir’s power was ineffective against both. Salvaging the ship alone was too heavy a task, and facing the Shadowless King of the Black Sea alone was impossible.

But Vikir remained composed.

“There’s still some time left.”

From his pocket, Vikir retrieved a pouch filled with air and consumed its contents entirely.

Gulp…

Gradually, the air within the pouch emptied.

[Water-resistant Oil Paper Pouch] / Pouch / D

A fairly resilient pouch that doesn’t easily dissolve in water. It has the power to repel moisture, making it suitable for storing something. After giving it a squeeze, Vikir tossed it into a hole in the sunken ship’s hull.

Shlurrr…

Even at that moment, the Shadowless King of the Black Sea continued to extend countless tentacles towards Vikir.

Decarabia spoke with a hint of urgency.

[Human! They’re converging from every direction! Run, I refuse to be confined at this place!]

“I feel the same way.”

[Then what will you do? Escaping is out of the question now! You have no choice but to salvage that ship! But with your strength…]

However, Decarabia couldn’t finish his sentence.

…Thud!

With a muffled noise, the ship, which had been resting deep in the abyss, began to tremble.

“Huh?”

As Decarabia looked bewildered, the ship slowly began to rise from the depths.

Gugugugugu…

Rocks and mud poured out from the bottom of the ship. The ghost ship, which had been submerged for a long time in the depths, was now rising effortlessly toward the surface of the Black Sea, devoid of any buoyancy.

“The time has come.”

As if waiting for this moment, Vikir grabbed hold of the anchor rope draped beneath the ghost ship’s hull.

And with astonishing speed, the ship began to ascend towards the surface.

Shhh-oooo…

The tentacles that were converging towards Vikir lost their way and hesitated aimlessly.

[What’s happening, human? Why is this ship rising on its own?]

Decarabia stared at Vikir with his solitary eye, awaiting an answer. However, Vikir didn’t need to respond.

The answer unfolded before Decarabia’s eye.

…Splash!

What emerged from the hole beneath the ghost ship’s hull was akin to large balloons. These objects filled the interior of the ship, pushing it upward. Decarabia quickly discerned the identity of these balloons filling the ship’s interior.

“…Air sacks!”

Indeed, they were air sacks from the floor above.

[The Bloodsoaked Jade Flower!]

Seeds of that plants were germinating inside the belly of the ghost ship!