Chapter 128: No One Will Get Hurt... Except Jashin-chan!
Splash, splash, splash—!
Minos's pale, graceful feet dashed across the tops of the waves, kicking up spray that glittered in the sunlight. She clenched her right fist, and in an instant, a glowing aura of white and purple light enveloped it.
The Kraken seemed to notice her. Its massive yellow-and-black eye swiveled, locking onto Minos. A tentacle—its thinnest part still thicker than a python—sliced through the air with a vicious whistle as it lashed out at her.
"Perfect timing!" Minos's eyes flashed. A hot-blooded grin spread across her face as she yelled.
Then, with a light tap of her toes on the sea's surface, she leaped high into the air. The Kraken's massive tentacle whistled violently just beneath her, missing completely.
'Now it's my turn...'
"Ox Demon Heavy Fist!"
Minos landed steadily on another one of the Kraken's tentacles and sprinted along its length, closing the distance to the monster's mountain-sized head in an instant. She planted her feet and launched herself into the air again, her fist, wrapped in the blazing aura, streaking downward like a falling meteor to smash directly into the Kraken's head.
There was a dull THUD. The spot she hit visibly caved in, and a ripple of force spread out across its flesh.
The next second—
A powerful, elastic force rebounded from the Kraken's skin, like a spring, throwing Minos's fist straight back.
"Eeh?"
The confident, battle-ready expression on Minos's face instantly froze. She was completely baffled, her fierce gaze replaced by blank, dot-like eyes.
The Kraken seized the opportunity. It raised another thick tentacle and smacked her hard across the face, sending her flying.
"Uwaaah—!" Minos let out a short cry as she was launched backward.
Yurine, holding her trident, charged into the sea with an agile posture, glancing at the airborne Minos. She then noticed the Kraken's malicious gaze land on her. She was completely unafraid; in fact, she seemed a little excited.
'Bring it!'
Yurine gripped her trident, her fighting spirit flaring.
Seeing a massive tentacle whipping toward her with terrifying force, she planted her feet and dodged to the side, her movement clean and unhesitating.
BOOM—!
The tentacle slammed into the sea, the immense force tearing the water apart and sending up a splash several meters high.
Yurine's figure flickered in and out of view within the curtain of water. She immediately counter-attacked. Her trident cut a brilliant, cold arc through the air, slashing viciously at the Kraken's tentacle. The sharp points broke the surface layer of slime, but most of the force was deflected.
In the end, it only left a wound that, while large to them, was completely insignificant to the Kraken.
"Hiiiissss—!"
The pain from the tentacle caused the Kraken to let out an enraged shriek. Blue blood sprayed from the wound, instantly dyeing the surrounding seawater.
"Tch!" Yurine clicked her tongue, unsatisfied with the damage she'd dealt. She continued to bob and weave, nimbly dodging several more tentacles.
...
Back on the beach—
"I'm going to help."
Seeing that Yurine and Minos had both engaged but didn't seem to be gaining the upper hand, Yusa considered the situation for a moment and then began to walk toward the water. Not to save Jashin-chan, but to help her friends. That was all.
"Let's back up a bit and watch," Ryohei suggested, deciding to be a sensible spectator. His proposal was met with immediate agreement from the others. The group retreated under the canopy tent.
...
Yurine dodged another tentacle strike. Suddenly, she felt the surrounding temperature plummet. She looked over, sensing the change.
She saw Yusa, dressed in her blue bikini, walking gracefully toward them. Her entire being radiated the gentle aura of a Yamato Nadeshiko. Her long, ice-blue hair was as translucent as a glacier, swaying gently in the sea breeze, every strand shimmering. Her cool-toned, porcelain-white skin seemed to glow under the sun. And as she walked, the alluring curves of her chest swayed, revealing the unique charm of a mature woman.
The Kraken, naturally, was incapable of appreciating Yusa's beauty. Seeing another challenger, it roared with a fierce look in its eyes and whipped a tentacle at her.
"Freeze," Yusa said calmly, raising her pale hand.
A frigid aura spread. Ice crystals formed!
The Kraken's massive tentacle stopped dead, less than ten centimeters from her face, a thick layer of frost rapidly encasing it. The ice spread visibly, and in the blink of an eye, the entire tentacle was frozen into a giant icicle. The wind pressure from the attack sent Yusa's long blue hair flying back, and the water behind her was forcefully depressed, creating a brief vacuum before the surrounding sea rushed in to fill it with a loud CRASH, sending up countless splashes.
The Kraken stared at its frozen limb, a flicker of astonishment in its giant pupils.
Yurine's reddish-brown eyes lit up, a sharp glint within them. 'A perfect chance!'
She didn't hesitate. Her body moved like electricity as she rushed forward. Her trident became a streak of cold light, its points aimed straight at the frozen tentacle.
CRACK—!
With a crisp shattering sound, the trident sliced through the ice unopposed, severing the Kraken's tentacle completely.
Yusa waved her hand at another tentacle. Instantly, white snowflakes and a biting-cold mist burst from her palm, rolling toward the limb like a blizzard. The cold passed over the water, freezing it instantly. Before the Kraken could even react, that tentacle was also covered in a thick layer of ice.
"Hah!"
Minos, having recovered from being knocked away, charged back in, racing across the water and leaping high into the air. She spun elegantly, her pale foot glowing with that white and purple aura, and delivered a powerful kick to the second frozen tentacle.
CRACK—!
Another sharp shattering sound. Minos's heel, like a heavy hammer, smashed the ice and the limb to pieces.
...
On the beach.
Ryohei Tanaka stood under the canopy tent, watching the fierce battle on the water. Seeing the tide turn as soon as Yusa joined, Medusa and Pekola let out sighs of relief, their tense expressions relaxing.
Koji-kun puffed out her chest with pride. The one who had made the biggest difference was her big sister! She would be that strong someday, too!
Ryohei, his arms crossed, looked completely relaxed the entire time. He already knew the outcome.
No one was going to get hurt... except for Jashin-chan.
Watching Yurine, Minos, and Yusa cooperate perfectly, taking the Kraken apart one tentacle at a time, Ryohei couldn't help but feel like he was watching a team in an RPG boss raid.
Yusa was the Support Mage. Yurine and Minos were the Warriors.
And Jashin-chan was the bait, responsible for pulling aggro, equipped with a built-in taunt, and possessing an automatic resurrection timer.
Before long, the battle in the sea drew to a close...
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