There was a saying that when one felt frustrated, they should move their body first. From my perspective, it was not entirely wrong. Most of my worries and thoughts vanished in the face of physical pain. Whether I ran until my lungs burned or swung a sword until my arms trembled with exhaustion, the effect was the same: once the body was pushed past its limit, the lump inside me dulled.
Of course, what formed inside me was never large enough to be called a lump. Still, I had little tolerance for this kind of stress. After the regression, I lived entirely on my own terms. I saw no reason to exercise patience over something like this. For these reasons, I wanted to vent my emotions by hitting, by beating something into submission.
The released demon had strange characteristics. It took the form of an octopus and could even split itself. What unsettled me most, though, was the scent. Why does it smell so delicious?
I summoned my internal energy and wrapped it around my hands. The flames roared, searing the octopus tentacle. At that moment, a fragrant aroma drifted into my nose. I didn't want to admit it, given that my opponent was a demon, but my mouth started to water.
Is it edible? Can I eat it?
Seafood always divided people. Those who disliked the fishy smell couldn't touch fish, and shellfish like clams were equally divisive. However, cephalopods were the food people were pickiest about, and octopus topped the list.
An octopus' appearance alone was enough to repel most: countless legs like a spider, eyes that looked demonic, a head unnaturally large and unsettling, and a slippery, slimy texture that made contact repulsive. It was no wonder some called them the demons of the sea. The especially large ones were said to be capable of wrapping around a whale.
Some people did enjoy octopus, but they were rare. Even my mother, who ate almost anything, refused to touch octopus or squid. That was why this moment was so surprising. At present, the burnt scent of the octopus was irresistible.
Wake up, you bastard. This isn't food but a demon in octopus form. I swallowed hard and freed myself from the tentacle's grip.
The absurdly strong suction weakened once heat was applied. The battlefield came into view again. Closest to me was Chain Scythe Lorcan; further back, the nobleman; and at the far end, the mage.
Lorcan was unarmed, the nobleman gripped a short spear, and the mage appeared to be chanting a spell.
Is this everyone? I didn't know if the other heroes had died or simply couldn't join for some reason. For now, it was safe to say these were the only ones who could fight. Cooperation would be difficult with so many variables, and the only person I had coordinated with at all was Lorcan.
"I meant that you were hit directly by the demon. Aren't you affected by the miasma?" Lorcan asked.
"That isn't a problem either. Those with a blessing have resistance to miasma."
Lorcan nodded. "As expected, you come from a Great Family."
Just as I had guessed Lorcan's origin, he was also trying to deduce mine. Regardless of the reason I shared with him, Dark Qi no longer posed a serious threat. Beyond the blessing I carried, I was now half a church member. I could fight a demon of this level for seven days and nights without it being a heavy burden.
Still, I didn't want to remain exposed to Dark Qi. I had no idea what would happen if external Dark Qi interacted with the Dark Qi inside me.
"Peron?" Lorcan posed a question I found nearly impossible to answer.
Fortunately, the octopus demon, which had just retreated, struck again. This time, its attack descended like a whip from above. I crossed my hands instinctively and caught the tentacles as they fell like logs.
The ground sank beneath me, jolting my back and knees, though it was hardly unbearable.
Lorcan, who had dodged the attack long ago, muttered in a shaken voice, "You took that with your body?"
I replied, "This doesn't look like the tentacle I burned earlier. The fire attack seems to have worked."
"It does."
"Good. Then I'll keep burning it this way and push all the way to the source of the tentacles," I said. "I'll need you and the others to provide cover."
"What will you do when you reach the source?"
The voice wasn't Lorcan's. It was delicate, thin, and yet carried an unexpected force that echoed through the cave.
I immediately recognized it. Naturally, it was the only woman among us. The mage, standing farthest away, fixed me with cold, purple eyes.
"I have to cut the main body. There must be something like an octopus head," I explained.
"Regrettably, there is no such thing. That demon is composed entirely of tentacles."
"Really? Then how do we kill it?" I asked.
"I'm thinking about it," she replied.
Thinking? We didn't have that luxury.
Her answer was slow, so I decided to figure it out myself. If the creature was only tentacles, destroying them would suffice.
A technique from the second half of the White Sun Eclipse was perfect for this. I could use it with my current internal energy, and my body could withstand it.
The only remaining problem was time.
I dodged the octopus's attack again. The sea-dwelling variety had eight tentacles, but this one had dozens. Each was as thick as a log, so it couldn't strike everywhere at once. Still, the relentless assault made it nearly impossible to find a moment to gather my energy.
"Can you hold it back for about ten seconds?" I asked.
"What are you planning?" the mage asked.
"I'm going to use a special killing move."
The mage scoffed and shook her head. "Luan Badniker. I heard you are a strong candidate to be the next Middle Name, but as expected, rumors are not always reliable."
Both Lorcan and the nobleman froze. "B-Badniker?"
I turned to the mage who had spoken my name. "You know me?"
"It's impossible not to. You've probably heard the name Coralis, right?" she asked.
"This is the first time I've heard it," I said, confused.
The mage fell silent for a moment, but before she could respond, a deafening crash echoed through the cave as the octopus struck again.
"G-get back!" Lorcan shouted.
"It's tricky... If we keep this up, we'll be pushed back to where Sister Razbet is," the nobleman warned.
His words sent a chill through me. The open space at the end of the passage was where Verita was handling Peron's body.
I repeated, "So ten seconds. Can you hold it that long?"
"What exactly are you planning?" she asked.
"I need to gather my strength at close range—about one step away," I explained.
"You want us to hold it back for ten seconds when you are at such close range?" The mage scoffed. "You come from a Great Family, but you seem to be quite ignorant about demons."
"You're wasting time saying it's impossible. The mage I knew could set up a barrier far stronger than that," I shot back.
"Who was this mage?"
"Alderson Marbour," I replied.
The mage sneered. "Since you mentioned that name, you do know me after all."
I didn't understand the connection.
"Fine. It will last not just ten seconds, but ten minutes. However, if your special move doesn't damage the demon, I will file a complaint with the Badniker family." She looked pleased with herself and started to chant a spell.
"The two of you, go to the mage... Oh." Before I could finish, the other two were already moving.
It was good they caught on quickly. I would have to block the octopus' tentacles alone for a while, but that wasn't too difficult.
The tentacles struck in every form: piercing like spears, falling like axes, whipping like cords. I blocked them with hands, legs, knees, elbows, even my forehead. Soon, the tentacles began burning violently. They writhed in all directions, trying to extinguish the flames. Every time they struck the walls or ceiling, the entire cave shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Maybe it really doesn't have a main body? The burning pain must be unimaginable, yet it didn't even shriek. No. Do octopuses even have vocal cords?
"Ten seconds from now!" I heard the mage's voice and felt a soft liquid form a protective sphere around me, roughly thirty centimeters in radius.
A defensive spell. Is she a Blue mage?
The purity and density of her mana on my skin were unusual. The mage's skill exceeded my expectations. I immediately circulated my internal energy from my dantian, and countless tiny flames surged through my meridians.
The technique I was about to use didn't focus on a single point, so I let my energy flow freely. Soon, intense heat rose from my entire body like steam. Even at a glance, it was clear that energy radiated from every inch of me.
By now, my internal energy was draining at an extraordinary rate, leaving me slightly exhausted. Even so, I suppressed my impatience and deliberately closed my eyes.
I exhaled deeply, then unleashed my attack as if pushing a surge of power outward. My internal energy discharged in waves, spiraling with maximum force. In that moment, my palm became a vent for a volcano.
When I opened my eyes, my vision was washed in bright red.
White Sun Style, 8th Move, Great Flame Spiral Hand.
The repulsion of internal energy nearly sent me flying backward, so I immediately slammed my right foot into the ground. A thunderous crack followed, and my leg sank deep into the earth up to my ankle.
This was only a temporary measure that wouldn't last long. The Great Flame Spiral Hand, which I wielded for the first time since my regression, rivaled the power I possessed during my Spirit Mountain training.
It felt strange. I hadn't fully regained my martial arts realm, so how could this be possible?
Ah. The answer came quickly. The color of the Great Flame Spiral Hand was a dark red, likely enhanced by the Hidden Scales Armor. This godlike weapon had amplified my power significantly.
I now understood why masters became obsessed with new equipment. It didn't just compensate for weaknesses; it reinforced one's primary attacks. The sensation was entirely different from wielding the Seven Sins Sword or Yin-Yang Dao.
Once my dantian felt half-empty, I halted the eruption of the Great Flame Spiral Hand. I looked around the cave. Chaos reigned. The landscape I had created defied simple description. It resembled a massive lava earthworm that had tunneled through the ground.
"No way..."
"What in the world..."
Exclamations echoed from the side. Lorcan and the nobleman stared at me as if I were some kind of monster.
I ignored them and asked the mage, "That finished it off, right? I don't want it to come back to life."
"You... What on earth are you—" the mage began, her expression stiff, when an unwelcome sound cut her off.
We looked up at the ceiling simultaneously and shuddered. The cave roof was trembling precariously.
Had the Great Flame Spiral Hand combined with the demons' desperate thrashing caused this? The ceiling cracked like a spiderweb and threatened to collapse at any moment.
"There! Look!"
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Moments later, the ceiling gave way with a deafening landslide, and the cave began to crumble rapidly.
"Ruuuuuun!"
I bolted as if my feet were ablaze, resentment surging with every step. It was the same as in the Jewel Mountains. What kind of grudge did caves hold against me that they collapsed whenever I set foot inside?
As I ran through the crumbling passage, I vowed, Next time I have to enter a cave... I will find any excuse to stay out of it.