Chapter 180: The Thing That Emerged Into the World (2)

At first, neither Aquaz nor Baker could truly comprehend the scene that was unfolding before them. The reality of what they saw seemed impossible—the corpse of a Demon Realm monster was being devoured by another creature, right before their eyes. The sight was so grotesque and bizarre that for a moment, their minds simply refused to accept it.

“W-what...?” Aquaz stammered, her voice faint.

The sound of flesh being torn echoed through the murky water.

The creature feasting on the leader ape’s corpse looked, at first glance, like a small monkey. However, there were significant differences between this thing and the apes they had faced above. The first thing Aquaz noticed was its size. This creature was much smaller—only about as tall as her waist, roughly the size of an ordinary continental monkey.

Its most striking feature, however, was its claws. Long, knife-like talons, each one as long as its forearm, gleamed menacingly in the pale light. Every time the creature moved its claws, the tough hide of the ape—normally resilient enough to withstand a Transcendent’s attack—was shredded as easily as cooked meat.

“Is that... is that a baby ape?” Baker whispered, horrified.

“I don’t think so,” Aquaz replied, shaking her head. She studied the creature more closely.

Unlike the brown, fur-covered Demon Realm apes they had battled, this one had no fur at all. Its body was smooth and white, the skin stretched tight and glistening as if it had been painted on. Stranger still, the creature’s skin rippled and writhed, moving in odd, unnatural patterns, as if something beneath it was alive and trying to escape.

Aquaz felt a chill run down her spine. “This is... even more alien than the Demon Realm apes.”

It didn’t feel like a monkey at all. It was as if some twisted, monstrous thing had disguised itself in the shape of a primate—a mockery of the familiar form.

“Wait, does that mean all these corpses...” Baker’s voice trailed off as he realized the implication. “Did that thing kill all of them?”

“It... it seems likely,” Aquaz answered, her own voice unsteady.

Nearly a thousand Demon Realm apes—enough to overwhelm the entire sea if they had ever emerged together—had been wiped out. And it looked like a single monster was responsible for the carnage.

The two gulped hard, hearts racing. Compared to the sea apes, the white-skinned monster was far more dangerous, far more alien and threatening. Instinctively, they began to back away, feeling an overpowering sense of dread.

Just then, the creature, which had been noisily feeding on the leader’s innards, lifted its head. It turned to face them, and Aquaz and Baker both froze, holding their breath. The monster’s eyes were utterly white—no pupils, no irises, just an endless, blank expanse. It gazed at them with eerie curiosity.

“

Waaah!

” The thing let out a cry, its voice disturbingly similar to a human child’s wail. Sensing their presence, it cocked its head, studying them intently. Perhaps it had detected something unusual, some unfamiliar scent or movement in the water.

A tense silence filled the cavern. The creature watched them, unblinking, its white eyes seeming to see straight through the magic that Aquaz had cast to conceal them.

Finally, the monster opened its mouth. “

AAAAAAAH!

”

A scream echoed through the sea, a terrible, inhuman sound that vibrated through the water and battered their ears. The force of its cry shattered Aquaz’s protective barrier of light in an instant. The veil she had cast to hide them disintegrated, scattering into glowing fragments.

Aquaz stared in disbelief at the drifting shards of light. That thing had destroyed her barrier with nothing but a single howl.

The monster’s gaze returned to Aquaz and Baker, its eyes now filled with curiosity. It seemed to ponder them for a moment—these strange, unfamiliar prey that had appeared before it, cloaked in magic. For an instant, it seemed to consider the puzzle, but quickly lost interest.

To the monster, they were new prey. That was all it needed to know. The creature’s lips peeled back, revealing jagged, misshapen teeth as it prepared to feast.

Aquaz’s instincts screamed in warning. She reacted on reflex, raising her arms and chanting, “Descend upon me!”

A golden pillar of light crashed down through the water, enveloping Aquaz in radiant armor. A golden shield and a heavy mace materialized in her hands, blessed by divine power. Without warning, the monster lunged. In the blink of an eye, it was upon her, its elongated claws slashing downward. She barely had time to raise her shield. The bloodstained white claws collided with divine steel.

Aquaz was sent flying, her body thrown backwards by the force of the impact. Pain blossomed in her chest and she coughed up blood, barely managing to steady herself before she hit the cavern wall. She glanced down at her shield in disbelief.

The shield was crushed and warped out of shape—the shield had endured countless battles. Even Ashetiaar, the named demon, had never managed to leave so much as a scratch on it. Now, a single strike from this monster had left it ruined.

The monster did not pursue Aquaz further. Instead, it whirled and slashed at Baker. Its claws cut through the water with terrifying speed.

Baker, as a mage, could not hope to match the reflexes of a warrior. In the split second before the claws could tear him apart, his contingency magic triggered. His body was instantly surrounded by a dense shield of mana—a spell he had carefully designed to protect himself.

However, it was not enough.

“

AAAAAGH!

” Baker screamed as the magical barrier was obliterated in a single blow. He tumbled across the cavern floor, dazed and gasping for air.

The monster was relentless. Sensing weakness, it lunged at Baker, its claws reaching for his throat. In that instant, Aquaz threw herself forward, her battered shield reforming through sheer divine will. She slammed into the monster, sending it flying back across the cavern.

“Baker!” Aquaz called, breathless.

Baker staggered to his feet, tears streaming down his face.

“Aquaz!” he choked out. But Aquaz did not look reassured.

She frowned, shaken. Something was wrong. When she had struck the monster, she felt almost no resistance. The creature had twisted its body at the last second, avoiding the brunt of her attack. It was already recovering, its eyes cold and alert.

“What... what is that thing?” Baker stammered.

“I don’t know. But it’s dangerous. More dangerous than anything we’ve ever faced,” Aquaz replied grimly.

They could sense the creature’s hostility now—undeniable and murderous. That was all the warning they needed. Baker gritted his teeth, gathering mana for another spell, as the monster lunged forward again, jaws open wide.

“Aquaz!” Baker shouted.

Aquaz raised her shield, chanting, “Karmanon, Chapter 3, Verse 11! The Sun God’s faithful stand unyielding in their place!”

A surge of light enveloped her, reinforcing her divine defenses. This time, when the monster struck, the shield held—barely.

“

Ngh

!” Aquaz cried out, bracing herself as the impact reverberated through her arms. But she stood firm, refusing to be knocked aside.

With Aquaz holding the monster at bay, Baker took the opportunity to unleash his magic.

“By the pull of the distant stars—descend here and bind!” he chanted. As his incantation ended, a tremendous gravitational force pressed down on the monster, compressing its body with the weight of a star. Baker’s face lit up with hope—until the monster roared and flexed its muscles, shattering the spell through brute force alone.

The cavern shook. Baker’s eyes widened. “Did it just break the spell with raw strength?”

Frustrated, the monster lashed out at Aquaz, smashing her shield with another wild blow. The two of them fought desperately, working in perfect tandem to keep the monster at bay.

However, they could not touch it.

Each time Aquaz blocked, the shield cracked further. Every spell Baker cast was shattered by the monster’s strength. He tried summoning frigid cold, freezing the entire sea, but the monster shattered the ice and advanced, unfazed.

“What is this thing?” Baker cried, unable to hide his fear.

They were both Transcendents, each capable of feats that defied belief, yet together they were being pushed back. And the monster did not even seem to be using any Myst—just pure, monstrous physical strength.

This... This feels like fighting Ketal

, Baker realized with horror.

The monster hammered Aquaz again, staggering her and leaving a momentary opening. It seized its chance, darting for Baker with a predatory snarl.

“

Ugh

!” Baker gasped, hastily activating his teleport spell. He barely managed to escape, but his sleeve was shredded—any slower and he would have lost his arm.

I could die here,

Baker thought. A terrible fear swept over him. As the monster advanced, Baker’s hand darted to his necklace. He ripped it free, clutching the enchanted jewel tightly.

“Explode!” he shouted, hurling the gem at the monster.

The artifact—a one-use item gifted to him by the head of his school—activated instantly. Complex magical circles erupted, binding the monster in place. The spell was powerful enough to buy time for anyone, even against an enemy of this caliber.

CRACK. CRACK.

The magical bindings began to shatter, breaking apart almost immediately under the monster’s relentless power. Baker stared, stunned. Not even this could hold it for long.

Still, the monster was momentarily restrained. Sensing their chance, Aquaz and Baker poured everything they had into a final, desperate attack.

“Fragment of the distant star—descend!” he chanted.

“Lovanir, Chapter 11, Verse 2! The Sun God unleashes a rain of holy light!”

A fragment of a distant star materialized, and holy rain lashed down in blinding torrents. The combined might of their attacks would have obliterated any ordinary foe.

However, the monster endured.

With a furious scream, it nullified the rain of light, crashing through the relentless barrage. Its body, though marked with fresh wounds, seemed only scratched.

The monster rushed at Aquaz. She threw up her shield, but the monster brought both claws together, crushing through her guard and driving its talons into her abdomen.

“

Ugh!

” Aquaz gasped, blood spraying from her lips.

She tried to fight back, but the monster’s claws ripped through her insides, and she crumpled to the cavern floor.

Baker screamed in terror and unleashed another spell. “PUSH!”

A shockwave blasted the monster away, giving Baker just enough time to reach Aquaz’s side. But blood was spreading through the water, staining everything crimson.

“Quick, heal yourself!” Baker pleaded, his voice breaking. “Please, Sun God—”

The monster was not about to wait. With a bloodcurdling snarl, it lunged for them again.

Death loomed over them. For a moment, Baker hesitated. Baker’s last attack had slowed the monster down a bit, but it was still coming for them. If he teleported now, he could escape, but Aquaz would be left behind to die. The woman he had fallen for at first sight would be killed.

His mind raced, his heart pounding. There was no time for doubt.

“Damn it!” Baker cursed, throwing himself over Aquaz’s wounded body, bracing for the monster’s final attack.

Aquaz’s eyes went wide. She saw the determination in Baker’s face and realized he was prepared to die for her.

CRASH!

A tremendous shockwave shook the cavern. Both Aquaz and Baker were flung backwards, tumbling across the ground.

But the pain never came. After a heartbeat of stunned silence, Baker opened his eyes.

“Ketal!” he gasped in astonishment.

“That was close,” Ketal said calmly, standing before them with a casual wave.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

***

“K-Ketal...” Baker was shaking, tears welling in his eyes. He had truly believed he was about to die. Now, seeing Ketal standing between them and the monster, relief overwhelmed him. He could not hold back a few tears.

Ketal glanced over at him, arms spread wide in front of Aquaz, protecting her. He offered Baker a lopsided grin.

“So you risked your life to protect her. That’s very brave of you.”

“T-thank you...” Baker managed, his fear melting into a rush of pride and embarrassment at Ketal’s praise.

Behind him, Aquaz staggered to her feet, gripping her mace tightly despite her pallor and the blood on her lips.

“Ketal, you made it...” she breathed.

“I had a terrible feeling, so I ran here as fast as I could. Looks like I wasn’t wrong,” Ketal replied.

“That thing is dangerous,” Aquaz warned, her eyes flicking to the monstrous shape across the cavern.

“What exactly is it? Some kind of offspring of those apes?”

As he looked around, Ketal took in the scene: Aquaz bleeding and barely able to stand, Baker battered and exhausted, and the monster watching them with its blank white eyes. It was clear how dire the situation had become—he had jumped in without hesitation, not even bothering to check what enemy awaited him.

“No. It’s something completely different. I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Aquaz said, forcing herself upright with her ruined shield.

“It shouldn’t exist... Not in this world,” Baker whispered, still shaking.

The thing was more alien, more twisted than anything from the Demon Realm. It radiated an aura of wrongness, a sense that it was never meant to be part of this world. Ketal’s eyes glinted with interest at their words.

“Really? Sounds like it might be strong,” he said.

“It is,” Aquaz said, her voice tight. “It’s like... it’s like fighting you, Ketal.”

“Me?” Ketal looked surprised, turning to face the monster directly.

The creature, knocked away moments before, now picked itself up, scattering debris as it rose. It let out a shriek. “

KIIIIII!

”

Ketal’s expression shifted, a strange look passing over his face.

“Well, this is nostalgic,” he said quietly. “But it’s not a reunion I ever wanted.”

His eyes locked with the monster’s, the tension between them heavy and palpable.