Chapter 363 – Siege of Nagoya (5)

"It’s strong," Han-Yeol remarked.

Tayarana stood beside him, equally awed. "Yeah, it appears incredibly formidable."

This simply emphasized the overwhelming presence of Craspio compared to any other encountered monster. Despite being a creature from the first dimension, Craspio exuded an aura far surpassing most creatures Han-Yeol had encountered in the Bastro Dimension, a second dimension.

Han-Yeol paused, struck by a realization.

'If this creature is stronger than most monsters in the Bastro Dimension while here on Earth... Does that mean Earth would have been doomed had I not crossed over or undergone my second awakening?'

He firmly believed that no country on Earth could thwart Craspio. Perhaps if the top three nations joined forces, there might be a slim chance, but he knew it was improbable due to various reasons.

He acknowledged that he alone might have to confront Craspio, yet he lacked absolute confidence in his ability to vanquish the monster. Consequently, he resolved to formulate retreat plans in case of failure.

'Nothing in this world is certain,'

he reminded himself, a life motto he embraced.

Initially uninterested in aiding Japan or rescuing survivors, his sole purpose in coming to Japan was to confront Craspio, a thought that had consumed him since arriving in Nagoya.

"It won't be an easy battle," Tayarana admitted with a grimace.

Even someone like her who thrived in combat seemed overwhelmed by Craspio's aura.

Gwuuu Ooooh!

The monster's distant roar reverberated, still carrying immense weight and strength. Its dense mana permeated the air, felt by both Han-Yeol and Tayarana despite the distance.

Krwaaang! Boooom!

Japan's historic landmark, the former imperial castle, the Kyoto Imperial Palace, fell helplessly before Craspio's might. Surprisingly, the monster didn't simply step on the palace to destroy it.

'Damn it! I thought it was just strong, but what on earth is this?!'

Han-Yeol was horrified after catching a glimpse of Craspio’s true powers.

The video released by Japan only showcased its incredible speed, impenetrable hide, and devastating limbs. However, what Han-Yeol and Tayarana had just witnessed was completely different from what the videos depicted.

"Did you... see that just now...?"

"Yes, Han-Yeol."

Both of them began sweating profusely after witnessing Craspio’s true strength.

"That's insane! How can a monster not only possess such absurd physical capabilities but also control earthquakes? Isn't that excessively overpowered?"

"Yes... That thing is excessively overpowered..."

Their recent observation confirmed that the earthquake wasn't caused by shockwaves from Craspio's sudden appearance. Instead, it unveiled Craspio as an immensely overpowered monster with the ability to induce earthquakes.

Gulp...!

“Tara...”

“Yes?”

“Do you think... we can win?”

“...”

Tayarana, usually proud and self-assured in her abilities, found herself stumped by this question.

Craspio's dense mana and its ability to trigger earthquakes at will made it a formidable adversary they couldn't underestimate.

A sudden powerful gust of wind swept toward Han-Yeol and Tayarana. While it was normal for such winds to buffet them at their current high altitude, both felt something unsettling about this particular gust.

'Facing that monster with just Tara and me won't be simple.'

Han-Yeol had considered engaging Craspio alongside Tayarana if the monster seemed manageable, but upon seeing it up close, he realized it was not an opponent he wished to confront. Eventually, he resolved to continue observing it before retreating to Nagoya.

'Tsk... I thought nothing on Earth could impede me after my second awakening, but it seems I miscalculated,'

he mused.

He wasn't in a state of despair. He didn't allow himself to be mentally weakened by such matters. Instead, he contemplated his own arrogance, acknowledging the need to grow even stronger than his current state.

“Let’s go back, Tara.”

“Okay, Han-Yeol.”

Whoosh!

Both of them flew back to Nagoya.

Bzzt!

‘Hmm?’

Han-Yeol suddenly sensed something behind him.

Whoosh!

He swiftly turned around but found nothing there.

'What was that...?'

he wondered, looking around in confusion until Tayarana asked him what was wrong.

‘Was I imagining things?’

he pondered, scratching the back of his head.

‘I suppose I'm just on edge after being shocked by that monster's strength.’

The sensation was unsettling, but he chose to dismiss it as heightened sensitivity.

Unbeknownst to him as he flew back to Nagoya, the monster he had been observing earlier, Craspio, was also observing him from miles away.

***

“...”

The successful rescue operation spanning Japan owed its success to Han-Yeol, who managed to eliminate all the monsters and reclaim Nagoya, the country's most vital and perilous location.

Arriving at Nagoya ahead of the others, Han-Yeol initiated the rescue operation, attracting numerous monsters due to the scent of blood and mana. This diverted much of the threat away from other rescue sites.

Despite being hailed as the hero of this mission, Han-Yeol appeared discontented. Standing atop Nagoya's tallest remaining building, he grimaced while gazing westward.

Pitter-patter!

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Rain once more descended upon Nagoya. The country's weather was capricious, transitioning abruptly from sunshine to downpours in mere minutes. The irony was not lost on Han-Yeol—he found it amusing how the Japanese mirrored their unpredictable climate.

Yet, such trivialities didn't concern Han-Yeol now; his sole focus remained fixed on the western horizon.

Shwaa...

An assassin, adept at accumulating achievements unnoticed, silently approached Han-Yeol. Camelot, who often moved like a chameleon in stealth, remained unnoticed, matching his introverted nature.

[Why the long face, boss?]

Camelot was not yet accustomed to showing overt respect to Han-Yeol, but he was slowly adapting.

"..." Han-Yeol glanced at Camelot and replied, "I was contemplating the formidable adversary to the west."

[Oh? I sensed an immensely dense mana and bloodlust from the west, at least a dozen, if not more than a hundred kilometers away. Could it be the creature you're intending to confront?] Camelot inquired.

"Yeah, that's the reason I came here, but seeing it in person has made me hesitant. I'm weighing whether to confront it here in Japan or wait for it to move to another country. If it heads to Korea, then I won't have any option but to face it head-on..."

Despite the triumphant success of the rescue operation, Han-Yeol appeared somber due to this dilemma.

[Hmm... I lean toward the latter, as I'm rather conservative and prefer the safer route. However, this decision is yours to make. I'll stand by you in battle and share your fate, as I am your slave,] remarked Camelot.

"Haha! You're far too useful to go and get yourself killed!" Han-Yeol responded.

[Hahaha! You're giving me too much credit!] Camelot chuckled, seeming flattered by the praise.

***

A week had elapsed since then, bringing significant changes to Nagoya. The most notable change was the sudden influx of survivors.

Regrettably, this surge in survivors posed a new challenge. Presently, around one million two hundred thousand people had gathered in Nagoya. However, the capacity of the rescue vessels arranged by South Korea allowed for the transportation of only one hundred thousand individuals at a time.

Moreover, the transportation process to South Korea would take four days, with an additional two days required for the vessels to return. Hence, a round trip would consume five days.

Transporting all the survivors to South Korea would necessitate twelve trips, each lasting five days, thus requiring at least sixty days of continuous effort if they worked tirelessly.

Although the distance between Nagoya and South Korea could be covered in a maximum of two days, the monsters infesting Japan's coastal waters posed a problem. This forced the vessels to take a lengthy detour to evade the monsters, contributing to the extended travel duration.

Nonetheless, despite the challenges, they promptly initiated this massive undertaking. Another horde of monsters was approaching Nagoya, numbering at least two hundred thousand. It remained unclear whether they aimed to reclaim the city from humans or were drawn by the scent of the amassed survivors.

Chwak!

“Kiek!”

A Black Orc had its head decapitated by Riru’s sword.

[Wow~ There’s a lot of them.]

“

Chwiiik!”

“Chwiiik! Chwik!”

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The Bastro Warriors had already slain thousands of Black Orcs, but tens of thousands more were still marching toward the city.

Observing the scene from the tallest building with his arms crossed, Han-Yeol felt no urgency to intervene. Despite the Black Orcs numbering over two hundred thousand, the Bastro Warriors were more than capable of handling the situation.

However, his mind was consumed by other thoughts upon witnessing the vast horde of Black Orcs.

'Impossible... This many Black Orcs couldn't have originated from a hunting ground. And what's with the others accompanying them?'

The Black Orcs were not alone. Alongside them or trailing behind were trolls, ogres, cyclops, and other large-sized monsters. Such a gathering contradicted the norm, where hunting grounds typically produced only one species.

This left Han-Yeol considering an alternative explanation.

'Could it be... Did the dimensional rifts in Japan just open? But what about Craspio?'

As far as Han-Yeol knew, the sudden appearance of dimensional rifts had caused global chaos. Typically, in each country, there would be three low-level rifts accompanying one high-level rift. Exceptions existed for larger countries like Russia, China, or the United States.

While Japan might be larger than South Korea, it was not considered sizable compared to other nations. Yet, the appearance of Black Orcs after Craspio emerged raised questions.

'Wait... If we consider Daema Island as South Korean territory...'

Despite arguments claiming Daema Island as Japanese territory, historical texts from Japan referenced Daema Island as part of Joseon[1] territory. However, both Japan and Joseon agreed that Daema Island functioned as a pirate cove for the Wokou[2] in the past.

1. Ancient Korean kingdom. ?

2. Wokou means Japanese Pirates. They raided the coastlines of China and Korea back then. ?