I Awakened as a Dark History - Chapter 58

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 58
The Hunter Association was a veteran at handling such matters.
Yu Ho-yeon wasn’t quite a veteran himself, but he understood his role well enough.
“Hunter Yu Ho-yeon. Do we need to prepare any additional weapons?”
Yu Ho-yeon checked the Steel Balls he’d prepared.
Normally he carried only two to guard against any stray Skill Runaway, but today was different.
“Twenty?”
“Yes. Without the risk of Skill Runaway, they’re stable, and since your safety is our priority in the dungeon, we’ve increased the number.”
Yu Ho-yeon nodded in understanding and gathered the Steel Balls.
“What about the Saturation Level?”
“It’s holding steady at eighty percent.”
There was still plenty of time before a dungeon wave would occur.
Yu Ho-yeon felt reassured and finished his preparations for the dungeon assault.
As he was checking his Potions one last time, an Association Hunter came running up.
“D-Director! Hunter! The Saturation Level is fluctuating!”
“Fluctuating?”
Had something like this happened during his confusion state before?
Yu Ho-yeon searched his memory for a moment.
But he hadn’t been in his right mind during that state.
All he could salvage from those fragmented scenes were vague impressions.
‘Strange—I’m not getting a particularly dangerous feeling about this.’
Yu Ho-yeon furrowed his brow and grabbed the Steel Balls.
“It appears something unexpected has occurred. The Saturation Level is rising suddenly.”
“Hunter, you should enter quickly—!”
Yu Ho-yeon plunged into the Sea before the Association Hunter could finish speaking.
He descended in one breath to depths his feet could no longer touch.
A spiral-shaped Gate came into view, and above it he could see the Saturation Level.
The reading flickered wildly like a malfunctioning electronic device.
[Dungeon Saturation Level]
87%
81… 8, 83
…87, 9, 9… 99%
There was no time to throw himself into the dungeon.
Pressure erupted from the Gate, slamming his body backward.
Whoosh—
The water split apart with a sound, and cold air bit at his cheeks.
“Hunter Yu Ho-yeon!”
He heard the Association Hunter’s cry.
Yu Ho-yeon moved the Steel Balls, piercing through the Magical Beast that had emerged from the Gate.
The pierced Magical Beast was an octopus slightly larger than a human.
‘A Kraken—and a juvenile one at that.’
Not just one, but dozens of Krakens crawled up the Beach, searching for prey.
They moved like newborn octopuses seeking their first meal.
Fortunately, the advance evacuation meant there weren’t many civilians left.
‘If I just eliminate these juvenile Krakens, that should be enough.’
Yu Ho-yeon transformed all twenty Steel Balls into spear form at once.
In an instant, the released spears pierced through the swarm of Krakens.
Fortunately, the newly spawned Krakens were far more fragile than their adult counterparts.
‘This should handle it then.’
Yu Ho-yeon felt some of his concern lift.
That was when an ill omen struck him.
‘But if there are juvenile Krakens…’
Didn’t that mean there had to be at least two adults?
Yu Ho-yeon belatedly checked the Gate’s location.
The Sea surged upward from where the Gate had been.
* * *
A massive column of water rose from the Sea and crashed down over the Hotel building.
Boom—crash—crash—
“Ahhhhhhh!”
I rushed toward Choi A-rin by the window.
There was no time for long deliberation.
I needed the strongest power available to me right now.
Power that could protect a friend.
“Synchronization!”
Blood-red wings enveloped Choi A-rin.
Unlike the fairy’s wings, these were solid and unyielding.
They hardened into a barrier, blocking and deflecting every shard of debris.
‘But I can’t get us down the stairs like this.’
I wrapped both arms around Choi A-rin and held tight.
“Hold on to me.”
“What? Hold what? Hey! You—aaaahhh!”
Then I burst through the window and threw myself into the air.
Choi A-rin shrieked in shock, but I had no mind to spare for her protest.
Whoosh—
With the sound of a massive parachute unfurling, a pair of wings spread wide.
“Aaaahhh!”
“Kyaaahhh!”
“Evacuate this way! The evacuation route is over here!”
Below, civilians and Hunters from the Association were hurrying to safety.
I lifted my head and surveyed the situation clearly.
“A Kraken…?”
It seemed the hotel had been attacked by a Kraken.
The massive creature stretched its long tentacles toward the fleeing people.
But it wasn’t alone.
Dozens of smaller Krakens surrounded it, all hunting for prey.
Whoosh—whoosh—
“Hey, hey… Ha Cho-eun. Could you, uh, put me down?”
“Not until you’re safe.”
I beat my wings steadily, flying with purpose.
First priority: get Choi A-rin somewhere the Kraken’s tentacles couldn’t reach.
Flying off somewhere else entirely was an option, too.
‘But I need to help deal with the Kraken.’
If I left it unchecked, all of Busan would be in danger—which meant we were in danger too.
Choi A-rin clung to me, her voice rising in alarm.
“Just put me down with the Association Hunters! Let me evacuate!”
“Hmm….”
“This feels even less safe!”
Choi A-rin looked like she couldn’t bear the anxiety any longer.
I had no choice but to descend toward the Association’s people.
Thud.
The moment my feet touched ground, the Association Hunters brightened at the sight of me.
“Are you a Hunter?”
I glanced at them but didn’t answer properly.
I couldn’t help it.
After all, I had to keep track of my Synchronization Rate.
I gave Choi A-rin’s back a gentle push.
“Follow the Association’s guidance and evacuate.”
“Y-yeah. Okay.”
I checked my Synchronization Rate without turning my head.
Good—it was rising steadily.
That would do. I gathered myself and leaped skyward, wings spreading wide.
Should I target the giant Kraken first?
The moment I flapped my wings and began closing on the massive creature, Yu Ho-yeon launched himself toward me.
I paused briefly to let him catch up, his feet pushing off steel as he moved.
“Take care of the smaller Krakens first,” he said.
Straight to the point with orders, then.
I suppressed a flicker of displeasure.
As a professional Hunter, he’d understand the situation better than I would.
Following his lead was the right call.
Yu Ho-yeon hurled his spear and pivoted back toward the Beach.
I spread my wings wide and glided down toward the beach.
My Divine Flame skill only ignites where my hands make contact, so I had no choice.
Whoosh!
One Kraken that touched me was engulfed in flames.
That fire was only the beginning.
Crackle, crackle—
The flames that consumed the Kraken didn’t vanish; they lingered at my side.
Each time I swept my hand, the fire undulated and followed.
Thwack! Thwack!
The smaller Krakens died without so much as activating a skill or mounting a defense.
It seemed their only purpose was the people around them—prey.
“Aaaagh!”
I tore away the Kraken that had seized a person, ripping it in half.
The person fled without so much as a thank you.
I appreciated their practicality—no time for pleasantries when you can run.
I stomped on a Kraken crawling across the ground toward me.
Whoosh.
Contact alone ignited the flame—my hands weren’t even necessary.
I kicked the burning Kraken toward its swarm.
The fire that obeyed my will swelled in an instant, consuming the Krakens around it.
Yet the sea kept disgorging smaller ones.
“Just how many are there?”
While we were catching the smaller Krakens, we hadn’t forgotten about the massive one looming above us.
The giant Kraken raised one of its legs and brought it down hard against the sea.
Seawater surged, and both Yu Ho-yeon and I propelled ourselves upward urgently.
Chagrin flickered across Yu Ho-yeon’s face.
“Damn it….”
I turned my gaze to follow the flooding waters.
‘Choi A-rin, are you done evacuating?’
The Association hunters and civilians leading the evacuation were caught in the deluge.
“Civilians! Get the civilians to—blugh!”
In moments, the water that had surged onto land began pulling people back with it.
The giant Kraken spread its legs like a net, scooping people up.
The smaller Krakens were taking advantage of the flood as well.
The little ones that had been crawling painfully across the ground now swam through the seawater and came ashore with the tide.
My eyes grew more frantic. Where is she? Where?
“Aaaagh, bluh! Mom! Aaaaah!”
Finally, my eyes and ears recognized the familiar voice.
“Of all places to get caught!”
It was Choi A-rin, ensnared in the tentacles of the giant Kraken.
The creature was bringing the people it had scooped up to its mouth one by one.
Choi A-rin’s turn wasn’t far off.
I flew straight toward her.
“Wait…! Hold on!”
I had no time to heed the protests coming from behind me.
My hand seized the Kraken’s leg.
Blazing fire—
Flames erupted along the creature’s limb, targeting its body.
“Ha…!”
“Don’t say my name!”
I quickly covered Choi A-rin’s mouth and grabbed the Kraken’s leg with both hands.
Pulling with all my strength from both sides, the leg tore away.
“Uuurgh!”
As I caught the falling Choi A-rin, I immediately checked my Synchronization Rate.
[Current Synchronization Rate]
43%
Far too low to use my strongest skill.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t kill the Kraken.
“Night’s Protection.”
A self-buff skill that increased both attack power and skill effectiveness.
With this, I could burn the Kraken without question.
The fire that had transferred to the Kraken’s body blazed even fiercer.
Screeeee!
Thrashing about, the Kraken lost its grip on the people it had been holding.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Ahhh!”
Splash— splash—
Those who fell into the sea would be rescued by the Association’s Hunters.
What I needed to finish was not those people — it was the Kraken itself.
“Hey, wait a second.”
I folded my wings and began to plummet.
Adding gravity to all my strength, I aimed for the Kraken’s body.
“Do it without me, you hear meeee!”
Boom!!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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