Gerrquan Wiperus Raid.
Many players rush to tackle this event when it appears, their eyes burning with determination for a perfect strategy.
“We need to handle it quickly. Otherwise, it will reappear.”
Bwoooosh!
Gerrquan Wiperus ejects a plume of black ink as it charges forward. While one tentacle firmly grasps Estella, another stretches out, seeking its next target.
“Take this!”
Ludmila, positioned at the forefront, struck the approaching tentacle with a heavy thrust of her spear, then retreated.
“Ludmila! Are you okay?”
“It’s just a scratch!”
The ink splattered from the tentacle grazed Ludmila’s ankle.
Though it was just a brief contact, her ankle began turning black.
Clenching her teeth, Ludmila endured the discomfort.
“This…!”
“Attention. That creature is targeting individuals with high mana capacity—like Estella.”
The octopus has eight tentacles. In the game, the mechanics involve each tentacle capturing one person at a time.
After the “inspection” is complete, the creature retreats underwater, seemingly satisfied, leaving its victims cursed for half a year.
Some players, refusing to face this penalty, would reload their save files or force-quit the game to start over.
But reality doesn’t offer such conveniences.
If this thing escapes, you’d have to live cursed forever.
Gwoarrr!
Gerrquan Wiperus began to emerge further onto land. Its massive head, easily over 10 meters in circumference, overshadowed its disproportionately thin, tentacle-like legs, giving it a comically unbalanced appearance.
“That oversized head!”
A Vinyudan member shouted, echoing the group’s frustration.
Its massive head seemed uselessly large, but the real issue was the enormous amount of Dark Matter contained within.
The creature wouldn’t retreat until it had engulfed everything in its dark delusions.
“Attention, everyone. That creature is targeting anyone here with mana capacity C-rank or higher.”
My statement caused a ripple of unease among those around me. Everyone here had the qualifications to attend Esdinas Academy—perfect targets for the S-rank monster’s dark beam.
“Then, Estella…!”
“It likely sensed her mana through her equipment, which is why she’s trapped. That’s also why one tentacle remains immobilized.”
1/8.
One stack was already built. Starting the fight with someone captured wasn’t ideal, but as long as no one else got taken, it was manageable.
“This is precisely when the Vinyudan should step in.”
“Wha…what?”
“That monster isn’t going to target you.”
The Vinyudan members hesitated.
Hearing they wouldn’t be targeted by an S-rank monster was confusing.
“The ones it’s after are us.”
Yunia, Ludmila, Evangeline, Esta, Yurha, Ludvecia.
And me.
“If all seven of us get captured and overwhelmed by its Dark Matter, the monster will unleash a massive curse and vanish into the sea, satisfied.”
“…”
“Think of it this way: there’s no obligation for the Vinyudan to help us. But let’s revisit what Senior Yurha said earlier.”
“Compen…sation?”
“Senior Yurha, please release their restraints, return their weapons, and let them shoot freely.”
I pointed at the advancing Gerrquan Wiperus.
“The more you contribute, the more money you earn. What are you waiting for? Fire away! Hit those magic stones and claim your rewards.”
“!!”
Even the Vinyudan, mercenary as they were, needed money to sustain themselves.
“But…”
“Relax. That executive isn’t going to hoard all the rewards.”
“Ah!”
The Vinyudan operated on a weekly pay system, with individual members relying on their executive for earnings. This system ensured loyalty but left them dependent.
“Isn’t that right, Senior Yurha?”
“…While it’s illegal to distribute earnings directly to Vinyudan members, compensating passing monster hunters for their assistance in protecting a resort isn’t strictly against the law.”
“!!”
But what if that money went straight into their wallets?
No matter the amount, if a notoriously stingy Silverstar representative guarantees it…
“Even if your contribution in this S-rank raid is no bigger than a fingernail, it’ll still be more than your weekly pay, right? Probably. Marchioness, if you please.”
“Understood, benefactor.”
Ludvecia pointed her staff skyward.
“Binding, release.”
Fwoosh!
The binding spell cast by the Marquis dissipated into a mist, freeing the Vinyudan members.
Rising hesitantly from the ground, they exchanged glances, then—
“Let’s save the commander!”
“Y-yeah! We’re not doing this for money! We’re fighting to save Lady Estella!”
With their own brand of justification, they grabbed the magic rifles scattered on the ground and dispersed across the resort.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
In a flash, magic bullets roared to life, hurtling toward the S-rank monster. Yet, the bullets ricocheted off Gerrquan Wiperus’s massive body.
Gwoooaarrr!
The octopus raised a tentacle, slamming it down to generate a shockwave.
Seawater surged onto the resort grounds as the earth trembled, throwing everyone into disarray.
“Aahh!”
“M-move!”
The mages, including Yunia, momentarily lost their footing, swaying from the mana-infused shockwave.
However, the Vinyudan remained steady—those without mana weren’t affected by the surge.
If you didn’t possess mana, the shockwave was just an inert vibration, harmlessly passing by.
“You disgusting octopus!”
“Let go! That’s my rifle!”
“This isn’t the time to argue over that!”
The Vinyudan scrambled to grab any weapon they could, magic rifles and pistols alike, desperately aiming to increase their damage share.
The air was filled with their relentless attacks.
Fwooom!
A massive cloud of black matter surged skyward, spreading across the entire resort in a devastating area-wide attack.
“That won’t do.”
Marchioness Ludvecia stepped forward, extending her staff.
A black barrier unfolded like an umbrella.
Thud-thud-thud!
The dark matter poured down onto the barrier and slid off its curved surface, harmlessly pooling outside the resort perimeter. The entire resort was spared from being engulfed in darkness.
“Hah…”
Blocking an S-rank’s wide-area attack was taxing, even for the Marchioness.
“Are you alright?”
“Oh my, you’re offering support yourself?”
“This time, you’re truly spent.”
I helped the Marquis to her feet.
She was momentarily flustered but quickly regained her composure, stepping forward with her staff raised high.
“Even so, I can’t rest now. We have a battle to finish.”
Bang! Bang! KRAAANG!
The octopus thrashed its tentacles wildly against the umbrella-like barrier.
Each tentacle, hardened by dark matter, struck with hammer-like force, using Estella as an unwilling weapon to pummel the barrier.
“Aaaargh!”
Estella let out a scream, her body slammed repeatedly into the barrier. Though it wasn’t life-threatening, the relentless impact inflicted excruciating pain.
“Evangeline! Support me!”
“Got it!”
Ludmila kicked off the ground with a powerful leap. Evangeline guided her stuffed bear to act as a springboard, steadying her midair.
Ha!
Taking advantage of the momentum, Ludmila ascended high into the air, conjuring a spear of wind magic mid-flight.
She spun her body and hurled it forward with all her might.
[Turbulence].
A move once mocked as “just a breeze” back at the Old School Building, it now showcased Ludmila’s true S-rank potential, brimming with raw, violent power.
Baaaaang!!
The spear pierced Gerrquan Wiperus’s tentacle, shredding it apart with storm-infused energy.
The wind magic, like countless blades, ravaged the octopus’s limb.
GWOAAAAARRRRR!
The monster went berserk. Dark matter gushed from the severed tentacle like blood, spraying wildly.
It began hammering the barrier and ground with its remaining seven limbs.
“Damn it, this is…”
“This isn’t just rampaging…!”
“In simpler terms, it’s throwing a tantrum.”
The so-called Berserk Pattern was too pitiful to even be considered a true strategy.
‘Even Danbi would look at this and think, I shouldn’t behave like that.’
It was unsightly. While this behavior might be inherent to the monster’s design, its flailing appearance was difficult to watch.
“Arghhh!”
“Die!”
Against such a chaotic foe, the Vinyudan members poured everything into their magic bullets.
If this were a game, each shot might deal at least 1 damage, but with a health pool of around 900 million, it was hard to maintain morale.
What they needed was someone capable of dealing more damage in a single strike than the monster’s entire health pool.
“Instructor Esta.”
“I’m ready.”
Esta stepped forward, wielding her sword.
She wasn’t dressed in swimwear like the others, but in a combat suit from Silverstar’s magical arsenal.
Over it, she wore a layer of golden mana that shimmered like Yunia’s hair.
“Be back soon.”
“W-wait! Even if you’re wearing a mana skin, if that black substance touches you—”
“It’ll just turn black for a moment, that’s all.”
Esta flashed Yunia a confident smile.
“This protective spell was crafted by one of my students during the first semester. Of course, I trust it.”
“Instructor…”
“And even if I do turn black.”
Esta turned her gaze to me.
“Phoenix will fix it, won’t he?”
“Of course.”
I pointed ahead.
“Even if the White Sword Saint becomes the Black Sword Saint, I’ll bleach you back to white immediately.”
“As much as you like.”
Tap!
Esta dashed forward.
The sudden charge startled Gerrquan Wiperus, which scrambled to block with its seven remaining tentacles. However, Esta was faster.
“What the…?”
“How…?”
“Teleportation?!”
In a blink, Esta was already airborne above Gerrquan Wiperus, poised to strike downward with her sword.
“Flash.”
With that single word—
Slash.
Gerrquan Wiperus’s head was cleaved in two.
